Tmf Elm - Tumblr Posts

YES OKAY PEOPLE SHOWED INTEREST IN MY ELM IDEA LETS GO I’M NOT GOING CRAZY! (I mean I am but-)

Anyways Elm! Elliot and Dominic! We’re all familiar with these goobs! We love them! Time for my very- ahem, well-thought out explanation for this ship!

…Okay so I don’t actually have one. I have zero evidence for this beyond just me looking at Dom and being like “…Well that’s a little fruity.”

I mean-

I mean…

He’s a lil 💅 you know? Just a lil bit. Like those looks aren’t hetero. Those are homo eyes. 👀

I think the real reason I ship these two is because I like unrequited romance and Drew died in the new episode so I had to push that dynamic on someone else and-

And I like Dom! I like Dom a lot! You know what I do with characters I like? That’s right! I put them in a blender and crumble them up into pieces. (I am normal human I do not need to touch grass I promise.)

And I also really like the trope of ‘shy character who’s really insecure is a lot more charismatic and charming than they realize, thus leading to several characters falling head-over-heels for them’ because it kinda takes their insecurities and reverses them, showing that you can think of yourself one way but there will always be people out there who absolutely adore you, and want to stay by your side. And I mean Elliot already has Milly head-over-heels for him, and he also somehow manages to fluster Bradley every other interaction so we can say Brad’s somewhat a simp? Just throw Dom onto the pile and now you got yourself three Elliot simps!✨

Also, I think Elliot and Dom would have a really cute dynamic, with Dominic being all silly and impulsive and Elliot keeping him grounded. (Opposites attract my beloved.) And I think it’d be so cute to see Dom actually develop feelings and suddenly go from this charming little stinker to just an absolute awkward loser. Like laughing way too much and never knowing what to say. Sort of like Milly, but instead of going quiet he tries to say eighty things all at once and accidentally gets himself in a nervous laughing fit. Meanwhile Elliot’s oblivious and very clearly pining for Milly, so Dominic knows from the start he doesn’t have a chance with him, but it still hurts sometimes whenever Milly comes to the garden and Elliot practically gets hearts in his eyes as he shows Milly around. And he knows he should be happy for Elliot. He is happy for Elliot. But a part of him wishes Elliot could’ve found those feelings of love with him instead. And as a way to cope, he teases them. He pretends he doesn’t have a crush on Elliot and pretends to be just as supportive as the rest. Teasing them and telling them to get a room whenever they talk to each other. (Maybe he just doesn’t want to see how close they are.) He’s already accepted Milly and Elliot are going to get together, and all he can do is watch from the sidelines hoping his own feelings will simply fade with time.

Oh, and uh… I may or may not have already started a one-shot for this very idea. Might post it, might not. Who knows?

TDLR: I like Elliot but I like Dom more so I’m gonna give Dom an unrequited crush on Elliot.

More Elm Propaganda🌼

(Unrelated but OMG I LOVE DOM SO MUCH he has taken over my brain and I’ve forced his silly ass shoulder metric tons of angsts I need more content of him please send me Dom asks or any asks I just want to yap-)

🍃Elm Tree (Part One)🍃

*+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+

Synopsis: 5 times Dominic felt something more for Elliot, and 1 time he realized someone else felt the same.

A/N: I don’t know why I did this. I just really like Dom’s character, and wanted to write something with him, which, of course, resulted in romance. A lot of this will likely become outdated considering Dominic and Faye only have about 5 minutes of actual screen-time, but I don’t care. I want to get more people talking about him. (Also, this is my first time writing a 5+1 fic, so I hope it turned out okay.)

*+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+

“Surprised you’ve never done this before, Ellie.” Dominic commented, fingers weaving thin flower stems together in the beginnings of a flower crown.

The Gardening Club had wrapped up their usual activities almost an hour early, and since no one else had anything better to do, Dom and Faye suggested the four make flower crowns together. However, Bradley and Elliot had almost no experience in the matter, so the twins decided to take it upon themselves to teach them. And while Faye took Bradley to the opposite end of the garden to look for ‘nicer’ flowers, Dom and Elliot stayed close to the marigolds, sitting down near the flower beds to start working on their own crowns.

“I’m… not really good with more detailed tasks like this…” Elliot answered, as if the shakiness of his hands didn’t already make that clear.

“That’s okay. You just need practice, that’s all.” Dom replied. “I mean, my first flower crown was far from perfect. It practically fell apart the moment I put it on. Faye wouldn’t stop teasing me about it for weeks.”

“How long have you been making them for?” Elliot asked, and Dom shrugged.

“Long time now. Faye taught me when we were younger. She was obsessed with fairies back then. Always had to run around the house wearing one.” He trailed off for a moment, picking another flower to add to the ring he’d created. “I don’t make them as much anymore. But it’s still pretty fun.”

“I see.”

The two fell silent for a while; Dom only glancing up on occasion to provide assistance when needed. But eventually, Dom completed his crown. Record time, too.

“Viola!” Dom exclaimed, holding it out to show off. Elliot’s eyes widened.

“W-wow! That was fast!” He said, and Dom shrugged, a small smirk appearing on his face.

“What can I say? I’m just a natural! He bragged, before leaning a little closer to Elliot. “How’s yours going?” He asked.

“Good, I think. Just need to-” Just as Elliot lifted his fingers from the stems, the knot he’d made came completely undone. The flowers fell into his lap, and for a split moment, it looked as if he was about to cry. “…Nevermind.”

“Heh, hey, it’s alright. It happens sometimes.” Dom said. He gave him a reassuring smile, but Elliot refused to lift his head.

“…Sorry I’m so bad at this.” He mumbled.

“Ellie. It’s your first time. Go a little easy on yourself.” Dom stated, setting his flower crown to the side as he scooted a little closer. “I’ll walk you through it a little slower this time.” Elliot nodded, opening his mouth to say something, but ultimately deciding against it. Instead, he gathered up the flowers that had fallen into his lap, recreating the first step Dom had showed him.

Perhaps Dom should’ve done this from the beginning, instead of just telling Elliot what to do and expecting him to follow an example three steps ahead. Although this method was a lot slower, Elliot seemed to understand a lot better. And Dom was having just as much fun as he was before. Although, that was probably just because he was spending time with Elliot. Elliot was always good company.

After a while, Elliot finally managed to complete his flower crown. It was a little thin, and a little misshapen, but it certainly was a crown.

“Did I do it?” Elliot asked, holding it out to him. Dom grinned.

“Yeah you did! Look at you!” Elliot hummed in response, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Mind if I try it on?”

“Uhm, s-sure.” He agreed, and Dom carefully took the crown from him, placing it on top of his head to see if it’d hold. And sure enough, it did.

“Hey! It held! Good job!” Dom cheered, holding up his hand for a high five. Hesitantly, Elliot tapped his hand to his, giving him what was possibly the most gentle high-five in all of history.

“Oh, here! Try mine on!” Dom said, taking the flower crown he made earlier and motioning for Elliot to lower his head, placing the crown on his head once he’d done so.

Dom leaned back to view his work, and Elliot lifted his head, fixing his hair while his eyes remained on his lap. And perhaps that was for the best, because in that moment, Dom had a realization:

Elliot’s… really pretty…

The flower crown fit him perfectly, complimenting his gentle features beautifully. And suddenly, Dom was starting to feel a little warm.

“…H-how’s it look?” Elliot asked, which snapped Dom out of… whatever that was.

“Uh- oh, yeah! You- It look great, Ellie!” Dom said, giving him a thumbs-up and a smile.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, ‘course!”

…The two fell silent for a moment, and Dom quickly became aware of how fast his heart had started beating.

“Uhm! Hey! Wanna go see how Faye and Brad are doing?” He asked.

“Oh, sure!” Elliot agreed, fixing his glasses slightly. “L-Let’s go!”

…Well, that was a little strange.

*+*+*

“Come on, come on! You’ve just gotta meet Bitsy!” Faye exclaimed, reaching out for Elliot’s hand and practically dragging the poor gardening boy inside their house.

This was the first time Elliot was coming over to their place. And immediately, Faye was trying to introduce him to her beloved obsession. No proper introduction. No tours, no common courtesy, only Bitsy.

What a great first impression.

“O-oh, uhm, okay!” Elliot agreed, giving a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes as he allowed her to guide them through the house. Dom followed closely behind, taking it upon himself to ensure this hangout wouldn’t end in complete disaster. Club meetings would be a lot more awkward, otherwise…

Faye pushed open the door to their shared room, revealing a basic, albeit messy bedroom setup. There was a bunk bed against the left wall, with pale orange bedsheets and pillows. The bottom bed was left somewhat made, and was covered in various spider plushies of different sizes and colors. Meanwhile, the top bunk was a complete disaster. Pillows and blankets scattered around haphazardly with clothes hanging over the edge and a massive squirrel Squishmallow sitting in the corner.

There was a closet and desk against the back wall, and to the right was a rather large spider enclosure, which was very tidy and well-taken care of. Probably the only thing about the room that could be described as tidy. The rest was a mess, with clothes and shoes scattered across the floor and clutter taking up almost every surface.

The only somewhat saving grace was the golden fairy lights strung up around the place. Made it look a little more whimsical, and not so much like a disaster.

“Lemme go get her!” Faye said, making her way over to Bitsy’s enclosure. Dom, meanwhile, stood beside Elliot, crossing his arms as he bit the inside of his cheek.

“…You sure you wanna do this?” He asked. “You don’t have to-”

“No, no, I do- I mean-” Elliot took a quick breath. “I want to. A-And besides! It’s just a spider. How scary can it- oh fudge…”

Elliot’s voice trailed off as Faye turned around, revealing a small tarantula cradled in her hands.

“Tada! Here she is! Isn’t she just adorable?”

Dom turned to see Elliot’s reaction, only to watch as the color drained from his face. His body went rigid, chest completely still. If it weren’t for the fact he was still standing, Dom would’ve assumed he died right then and there.

“Y-yeah. C-cute…” Elliot managed, his bottom lip trembling. Faye lowered her hands, tilting her head as a frown overtook her expression.

“Are… you alright, Elliot? You look-” Before she could finish, Bitsy leaped from her palms, landing just beside Elliot’s feet.

And Elliot shrieked, reaching a pitch Dom didn’t even know was possible.

And before Dom could even process what was happening, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders, pulling him closer and squeezing him tight.

And he glanced over to see Elliot, with his eyes blown wide as he stared Bitsy down.

His arms tightened further, and Dom could barely breathe. It was easy to forget how strong Elliot was, considering his quiet and gentle demeanor.

Dom opened his mouth to say something, but before he could even get the words out, the scent of lavender and sage hit the back of his throat. Elliot’s shampoo, maybe? He wasn’t quite sure, but his head was starting to get a little fuzzy. They were so close right now, closer than they’d ever been before…

He could feel Elliot’s heart pounding in his chest, and the slight shakiness of his arms. Why was Dom still standing there? Why wasn’t he doing anything? Why did everything feel so warm?

“Ah, Bitsy!” Faye cried, and suddenly, time was moving again. Bitsy was scurrying out of the room and Faye was in pursuit, chasing her down the hallway.

And Elliot was still clinging to him. Still shaking and barely breathing.

“Uhm…” Dom managed. “Ellie?”

It took a moment for Elliot to respond. He blinked once, twice, then gasped, quickly throwing himself off of him.

And Dom tried not to think about the sudden absence of warmth he felt.

“Dominic! I-I- oh my gosh, I am so so sorry! I-I don’t know- I didn’t-” Elliot’s face was getting redder with every word. He buried his face in his hands, mumbling incoherent apologies.

“Hey, hey! It’s fine!” Dom said, waving his hands in front of him. “I get it. I- uhm…” Dom cleared his throat. “You- you wanna talk in the kitchen? So you don’t… you know? Have to see Bitsy when Faye gets back?” Elliot opened his mouth, then closed it, giving a simple nod in response. With a quick motion of his head, Dom led the way.

“Sorry she lunged at you like that. Bitsy doesn’t… usually do that.” Elliot shook his head.

“I-I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I-It’s just a spider. And… and it’s not like they’re poisonous, r-right?” Dom scratched the back of his head.

“Well, they are venomous-” Elliot shuttered. “-But their venom isn’t deadly!” He quickly finished. “And Bitsy’s never bitten anyone before, so it’s not like she would have hurt you at all. She’s honestly pretty friendly. Well- as friendly as a spider can be.”

The two arrived in the kitchen, and Dom pulled out a chair from the dinner table for Elliot. It took a moment for him to register the seat was in fact intended for him, and he gave a quiet ‘thank you’ before sitting down. Dom nodded in response, taking a seat beside him and resting his elbows against the table.

“I… didn’t make you uncomfortable, did I?” Elliot asked slowly, averting his gaze as he tugged at the hem of his shirt.

“No! Not at all!” Dom assured him. He gave him a warm smile, but Elliot refused to look up.

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” He said, his gaze softening as he rested a hand against Elliot’s arm. And he tried not to think too hard about the closeness the two had shared. Tried even harder not to question why he liked it so much.

“We all have things we’re scared of.” He continued, then paused, debating his next words carefully. Slowly, he took a breath. “I’m… still kinda afraid of the dark, if that makes you feel any better.”

“Really?” Elliot asked, finally glancing up to look at him. And Dom swallowed. He hadn’t really told anyone other than Faye before.

“Y-yeah. I still have a night-light in my room and everything.” He admitted, scratching the back of his head with a chuckle.

“Oh, me too!” Elliot said, and Dom’s eyes widened slightly. “But, it’s mostly just so I don’t trip over my nightstand in the middle of the night. Heh…” Dom laughed. Was he even supposed to be laughing right now? The fuzziness still hadn’t fully left his head just yet.

“I still manage to trip over all kinds of stuff with mine.” He joked. And now Elliot was laughing, drawing a hand over his mouth to obscure his smile. And a part of Dom so desperately wished that hand wasn’t there…

He found himself staring. Caught in that same trance he’d been in earlier, watching as Elliot’s laughter slowly faded and he took a moment to fix his glasses before finally meeting Dom’s gaze.

And their eyes met for a moment.

“Uhm… Dominic?”

Dom blinked, sitting up slightly. Crap! Uh- words! Words! Something!

“…Wanna go meet my gerbils?”

*+*+*

“Come on, Ellie! We’re almost there!” Dom exclaimed, pushing tree branches aside to allow him and Elliot through. It was a warm, Sunday afternoon. The perfect day for Dom and Faye to bring Elliot to the duck pond with them. This would be the first time anyone else had tagged along with them, and Dom found himself almost giddy with excitement. He never had the opportunity to introduce someone else to the ducks before. He couldn’t wait to ramble about them.

“That’s the third time you’ve said that, Dom.” Faye suddenly piped up. She was a little further ahead of them, having memorized the path after countless journeys. She had a bag of frozen peas tucked under her arm; the usual snack they brought for the ducks. Due to Dom’s tendency to ‘over-feed’ them, she insisted on carrying it.

“Well, sorry for being excited. Why do you have be such a kill-joy?” Faye only shook her head in response, before continuing down the path.

And after a few more minutes of walking, Dom could finally hear the sound of the splashing water. The ducks must’ve already been there.

Dom could barely contain his excitement. He loved ducks. And now, he was finally able to share that love with Elliot.

The three took a right, and the lake finally came into view. Just as Dom suspected, several ducks had gathered nearby. Dom couldn’t help but smile.

“There they are! Come on!” Without even thinking, Dom slid his hand into Elliot’s, whisking past Faye and heading straight for the ducks. And surprisingly, none of them swam off.

“Looks like the gang’s all here!” Dom said as they reached the ledge. “There’s Bernard, that’s Walter the II, over there’s Loaf-” Dom continued down the list, pointing out each duck as Faye opened the bag of peas, causing all the ducks to swim a little closer. However, as his list came to an end, he soon realized something.

Someone’s missing…

“…How do you tell them all apart?” Elliot asked, and Faye laughed.

“It’s easy, silly! They all have different feather markings! See, take Bernard and Walter for example. Bernard’s head’s a little darker than Walter’s. Oh! And his tail has a little bit more black in it, too!”

“…Hmm.”

“Hey, Faye?” Dom asked, turning to see her toss a handful of peas into the water.

“Yeah?”

“You see Matilda anywhere?” He asked, and Faye glanced over the ducks that had gathered.

“Hm… no I don’t. That’s weird.” Dom nodded, before leaning a little closer to Elliot.

“Don’t tell the other ducks, but I think Matilda’s my favorite.” He whispered. “She is the roundest bird I’ve ever seen. Rotund, even. She’s always fighting the other ducks for peas. I’m surprised she’s not out here…” Dom placed a finger against his chin, reaching into the pea bag and tossing another handful in, watching as the ducks scrambled to scarf them down. “She had babies about a month ago, though. Maybe that’s why she’s not out here?”

Elliot nodded, slowly reaching into the bag and tossing a few peas in the water as well.

“I’m guessing you guys come here pretty often, huh?” He asked, and Dom nodded.

“Oh, we’ve been coming here for years now. I don’t even remember when it started. I think we just stumbled across this place when we were younger, and just kinda… turned feeding them into a routine.” Dom tossed a couple more peas into the water, and Elliot did the same, smiling softly as he watched them splash around in the water.

Eventually, the three decided to settle on the ledge, taking turns tossing peas into the water.

And a gentle breeze had picked up after a while, bringing with it the faint scent of pine. Dom watched as it whisked past him, dancing through Elliot’s hair before carrying on with its journey.

And Elliot smiled to himself, running a hand through his soft pink locks to smooth them back down.

…And Dom found himself staring. Admiring the way Elliot looked beneath the dappled sunlight. The subtle blush to his cheeks, the warmth in his eyes. And that familiar, fuzzy feeling returned to him, filling his chest with a warmth not even the sun could replicate.

…In that exact moment, everything was perfect.

Because he was doing something he loved, and he was sharing it with the people he was closest to: his sister, and his best friend.

…Could he even call Elliot his best friend? Or was it too soon to do so? Him and Elliot had only known each other for about a months or so, but somehow, it felt almost longer than that. He couldn’t really explain it, but it felt like Elliot was someone he’d always known. Someone he could always turn to.

Maybe Dom just wasn’t too familiar with friendships. He couldn’t say he had many friends outside of Faye, much less close ones. Likely due to his habit of going on completely unrelated tangents regarding his interests.

But Elliot was different than anyone he’d met before. Because unlike most people, who tuned out his words and only nodded along out of common courtesy, Elliot actually listened to him. He’d ask questions. He’d express interest. And it was refreshing, to finally be seen and understood by someone other than his sister. Perhaps that was why he felt so close to him…

Regardless, Dom was happy to be with him. And that was all that mattered.

“Hey, there’s another duck over there…” Elliot commented, finally pulling Dom out of his trance. He turned to where Elliot was pointing, only to see a large brown duck swimming towards them, with three little ducklings in tow.

“Matilda!” Dom shouted, and without warning, he shot up, running over to greet her.

But one misstep was all it took for the rocks to slide out from under him, knocking him off his balance and sending him tumbling into the water.

“Dominic!”

Dom landed on his hands and knees with a splash, cold water soaking through his clothes and leaving him shocked. The ducks made a bit of commotion, but none flew off.

Faye suddenly burst out laughing, and Dom groaned, sitting himself upright.

“Are you alright?” Dom glanced over his shoulder to see Elliot running over to him, bending down and extending him a hand.

And the way the light practically framed his silhouette looked-

“Oh, yeah- yeah, I’m fine.” Dom responded, taking his hand and allowing himself to be pulled from the water. “Just a bit soggy now.”

“I’m… honestly surprised it wasn’t that deep. Thank- thank goodness for that, right?” Dom nodded, and Elliot let go of his hand.

“You’re never going to learn, are you?” Faye asked as she made her way over. Dom crossed his arms.

“Oh, shut up.” He mumbled with a huff. Faye chuckled, before leaning a little closer to Elliot, covering her mouth with her hand.

“He has about a 50% chance of falling into this pond every time we come here.” She told him, and Dom could feel himself flush slightly. “He’s a bit stupid.”

“Um! I am right here!” He yelled. “And it’s not my fault the rocks like to be so unstable around the ledge!”

“Maybe just don’t walk about the ledge then, genius!”

“But then I don’t get to see the ducks as well!”

“Then get your dang eyes checked!”

“Pay to have them puff air into my eyes? Hah, not a chance!” Faye rolled her eyes.

“Then get used to falling into ponds, stupid.” She retorted, and Dom stuck his tongue out in response, tugging off his orange sweater to reveal a plain white t-shirt underneath. Obviously, it wasn’t any dryer, but at least it wasn’t as heavy. After squeezing a bit of the water out, Dom tied it around his waist, glancing up when he heard Faye sigh.

“I’ll take that as our sign to start heading back.” She said, rolling up the bag of peas.

“What?!” Dom cried. “But Matilda just got-!”

“Wet. Socks.”

…Great, now that was all he could focus on.

“Mmm… ugh, Faye! Why’d you have to point it out?!”

“Because you can’t stay in wet clothes all day. Besides, if we feed the ducks anymore, they’ll get as fat as Matilda!” Dom groaned, before letting out a sigh of defeat.

“Fiiiine. Let me just… say goodbye real quick.” And before she had a chance to even respond, Dom snatched the peas from her, running back to the water.

“Dominic!”

He tossed a heaping handful of peas in Matilda’s direction. And if other ducks happened to steal a few… well, he couldn’t help that.

“Goodbye, everyone!” He called, giving them a wave. “I’ll see you all soon!” The ducks quacked in response, and Dom liked to imagine they were saying goodbye as well.

He turned back to see Faye glaring at him, taking back the bag of peas from him before leading the way back home.

…

And the first thing Dominic did when the three got home was shower, changing into an old pair of sweats before joining Elliot and Faye in the living room. He threw himself on the couch just beside Elliot, bundling himself under the blankets they’d gathered and making himself just as comfortable. The three talked for a while, before eventually deciding to watch a bunch of old Disney movies that Dom and Faye had on DVD. The first of which being Cinderella. The disk was a little scratched due to it’s age, so some scenes were a little glitchy, but Elliot didn’t seem to mind much, saying nothing as he sank a little further into the couch.

And Dom found himself leaning against Elliot’s arm after a while, finding comfort in his warmth. There was that soft, fuzzy feeling blooming in his chest again; it’d grown to be quite familiar now.

Everything felt so serene. The dim lighting, the soft audio coming from the TV, the faint buzz of the AC, the warmth of heavy blankets being shared...

And the last scene he could remember was the Prince’s waltz with Cinderella. The gentle serenade regarding the idea of love lulling him into a peaceful sleep.

🍃Elm Tree (Part Two)🍃

*+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+

Synopsis: 5 times Dominic felt something more for Elliot, and 1 time he realized someone else felt the same.

A/N: I just realized I haven’t had to use any content warning for this fic. I didn’t even realize how often I write characters swearing until this one. But despite how fluffy and wholesome this fic has been, I still don’t believe in happy endings. So good luck, Dom. I have two sequels for you in the works.

*+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+

“…How did you trip into the rose bushes, Dom?” Elliot asked, holding Dom’s sleeve as he lead them back to the greenhouse.

And in all honesty, Dom didn’t really know either. One moment, he was yelling to Faye from across the garden, and the next, he was tripping over a watering can and stumbling straight into the roses. Luckily, none of the flowers had gotten damaged, but Dom’s face was left covered in scratches.

Bradley had been the first to notice him stranded, and was quick to free him from the thorn’s clutches. Faye, meanwhile, left to get Elliot, thus leading to the situation Dom currently found himself in.

“I think our watering cans are haunted.” Dom eventually answered. And Elliot blinked, looking back at him with wide eyes.

“Huh?”

“It came outta nowhere Ellie! Think it has it out for me.”

“…Why would the watering can have it out for you?” Elliot questioned, and Dom shrugged, crossing his arms as he followed Elliot inside the greenhouse.

“Ask the watering can.” He said, earning a small chuckle from the pink-haired boy as he made his way over to the wooden table pressed against the wall. After clearing some space, he turned his head back to face him.

“Come here.” He said softly. And Dom tried not to think about the butterflies suddenly swarming his stomach.

He sat down on the table just as Elliot instructed, and watched as the taller boy reached into a small box underneath, pulling out a familiar med-kit. Dom lost count of how many times Elliot must’ve used it on him.

He placed the kit on the table, opening it and pulling out a small pack of disinfecting wipes. Dom could already imagine the sting they’d bring, and instinctively, his grip on the table tightened.

“Hey uhm… is that really necessary this time? I mean, it’s only a few scratches-”

“It’s always necessary.” Elliot interrupted him. “They could get infected otherwise.”

“Mmm…” Dom hummed, glancing down at his feet.

“It’ll be okay. I’ll try to be quick.” Elliot assured him. He rested a hand against Dom’s arm, and Dom couldn’t help but smile at the feeling.

But the moment he felt the cold burn of the alcohol wipes, he recoiled, letting out a hiss of pain.

“Sorry!” Elliot squeaked, his voice cracking slightly on his words.

“You're good! You're good.” Dom managed, nails scraping the wood. “Just… get it over with.” Elliot nodded, and Dom closed his eyes, biting down on his lip to suppress small winces as Elliot cleaned off the rest. Dom wasn’t sure how many times he’d been through this process. It never got any easier, but at least it got a little quicker.

Eventually, Elliot pulled away, and Dom finally opened his eyes.

“Okay… I’ll just cover the bigger scratches.” Elliot whispered to himself, opening up a small box of band-aids as Dom found himself staring again. He wasn’t sure when it became so common of him to admire Elliot’s features like this, but he decided not to question it.

So instead, he focused on Elliot. On the way certain strands of his hair would curl more than others. On the way his brows furrowed slightly as he concentrated. On the way his brown eyes squinted and his lips pursed ever so slightly. On the way the sunlight danced along rosy cheeks, painting him in a gentle golden glow. It was… almost ethereal…

Ethereal… was that a word people used to describe their friends?

“There you go.” Elliot’s voice snapped Dom out of his trance, suddenly realizing that Elliot had already finished bandaging him. “You’re good to go now.” He said, giving Dom that same beautiful smile he’d grown so fond of. And Dom returned the expression, leaning forward and sliding off the table.

“Thanks, Ellie! I appreciate it!”

“My pleasure! Just… be more careful around the rose bushes, alright?” Dom chuckled, giving a small salute.

“I’ll try my best, Prez!”

*+*+*

“Alright, I think that’s everything. Thanks for staying so late, guys.” Dom let out a sigh at Elliot’s dismissal, leaning his head back to see the sky. It was a soft shade of yellow, indicating the sun would be setting soon.

To say it’d been a long day would be an understatement. Club was supposed to end almost an hour ago, but due to the changing seasons, there was a lot more work to be done. Hence, the additional hour spent in the gardens.

Not that Dom was complaining at all. He loved working in the garden. But what he didn’t love was having sore limbs and a shirt soaked with sweat afterwards.

“You okay, Dom?” Elliot asked. Dom whipped his head forward, brushing the hair from his eyes as he turned to face him.

The club president didn’t look any better than he must’ve His pale pink hair was messy, bangs damp with sweat and clinging to his forehead. There was a little dirt on his cheeks, and his glasses were a bit smudged, too. His usual brown sweater was tied around his waist, leaving him in a dirty white button-up, with the collar loosened and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

…How did he still manage to look so beautiful?

“Yeah, I’m good!” Dom responded, giving a thumbs up for good measure. “Oh, you got a little dirt on your face, by the way.” Elliot tilted his head, and Dom pointed at the spot on his own cheek. With a small nod, Elliot wiped at the spot with the back of his glove, but that only seemed to smear a little more dirt on his face in the process.

“Did I get it?” He asked, and Dom chuckled, shaking his head.

“Not even close.” He answered, before pulling off his own gardening gloves and stuffing them into his pocket. “Here, lemme get it.”

Dom closed the space between them, resting a hand against Elliot’s cheek as he carefully thumbed away the dirt that had gathered there.

And for some reason, Dom decided to glance into Elliot’s eyes. And once again, he found himself getting lost in them.

His hands lingered even after he’d gotten the dirt off, and he found himself in what felt like another trance.

That soft, warm feeling of fuzz came drifting back to him, making his whole head feel a little cloudy. It was so weird how a feeling he’d never once experienced before had become so common around Elliot…

And the feeling only seemed to grow stronger when the two were close like this. Close enough for Dom to admire every feature. To note every subtle mark and crease along his skin. To feel his breath, and to wonder what his soft, thin lips would feel like against his-

…

“Dominic?”

Dom could feel his heart skip a beat, his breath catching in his throat.

And suddenly, his whole world tilted. The warmth, the fuzziness, the butterflies, the nervousness, the excitement…

Everything had shifted into place. It all made sense now.

…He liked Elliot.

…He wanted to choke.

Quickly, Dom pushed Elliot away, his hands resting on the taller boy’s shoulders as he took in a quick breath. How long have I just been standing here?!

“Are… you okay, Dom?” Elliot asked, and Dom forced his gaze to the ground.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He mumbled. “You’re really cute-” He shut his mouth.

“…What?”

“What?”

The blood was rushing to Dom’s face, and he wasn’t sure if he was about to have a heart attack, or pass out from heatstroke. Either way, he had to get out of there.

He finally took his hands off Elliot’s shoulders, placing them awkwardly on his hips.

“Uhm! D-did you hear that? I think Faye’s calling me.”

“No I’m not.” Dom flinched. He didn’t realize Faye was right behind him. He turned his head around slowly, his brain frantically trying to figure out something for him to say.

“…Yes you were!” He managed. “In your mind!” He pointed to his temple. “Remember? Twin telepathy?” Faye’s eyes narrowed.

“I wasn’t even-”

“You were just thinking about how it’s time for us to head home. And I agree! We don’t want to miss the next bus, do we?” Before Faye could respond, Dom grabbed her by the shoulders, practically shoving her towards the garden entrance.

“-Hey!” She shouted. Dom ignored her, and glanced back over his shoulder to Elliot, giving him a smile he prayed looked natural enough.

“Cya, Ellie! Say bye to Brad for us!” Elliot frowned, but didn’t say anything, giving the two a hesitant wave.

Dom turned back around, his smile falling almost immediately. The moment the two were out of the gardens, he let out a defeated sigh.

“What the heck was that about?!” Faye snapped, and Dom didn’t answer, simply resting his head on her shoulder in a pathetic attempt to hide from the world. “Dom?”

Dom took a slow breath.

“Can I ask you something?” He whispered.

“Yeah?”

“…Can you feed me to Bitsy when we get home?”

“…What?”

“I need you to feed me to Bitsy. Immediately.”

“Why would I even do that?” She asked.

“Because, Faye. Think of all the money you’d save on buying crickets! I’d be good for a couple months, I bet!”

“You’d only make Bitsy sick! Now what is going on with you?” She asked, and Dom sighed again, finally lifting his head from her shoulder.

And he considered telling her what had happened. He always told her everything, afterall. But he was quick to realize how little that would actually help with anything. Faye was possibly the worst person to go to for romantic advice, considering how little the topic actually interested her. In all honesty, he’d have better luck talking to Bradley about this. And Bradley couldn’t even look at a girl without freezing up.

Not only that, but Dom didn’t even know if this was a crush or not. It felt like one, but… what if it wasn’t? What if this was just… some sort of phase?”

“Dom?” She asked. And Dom suddenly realized he’d zoned out again. Crap. What do I say?

He thought for a moment longer, before finally answering.

“…I made a total idiot outta myself in front of Elliot. Felt like I was gonna die.” Faye stifled a laugh.

“Of course you did. When do you not make an idiot out of yourself?” She mumbled, and Dom gasped.

“Excuse me?!”

“You heard me.” She teased.

“Uhm! Says you!”

The two started bickering after that, comparing their test scores and bringing up all the times they’d outsmarted one another. And it was a nice distraction for a while. It kept Dom focused on something that wasn’t… him.

But the conversation ended when the two reached the bus stop, just barely having caught the bus in time. The two hopped on, and Dom reached into his school bag to fish out his wallet, handing a few dollars to the driver before taking a seat with Faye somewhere in the middle. Considering this was around the time most people were getting off work, the bus was pretty full. It was lucky they were even able to grab a seat in the first place.

The twins sat close together, and Dom placed his back-pack on his lap, using it to rest his head. Faye, meanwhile, leaned against his shoulder, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pair of wired earbuds, taking a moment to untangle them before plugging them into her phone and handing a bud to Dom. He placed it in his ear, listening to the songs she had queued up, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Elliot would like them, too.

And that’s what brought Elliot back to his mind. Despite all the people around him, Elliot was the only one he could think about.

Dom stared down at his feet, his arms tightening around his back-pack. Memories of Elliot were stuck on replay. He couldn’t shake them from his mind no matter what he did.

And even after the moon had chased away the sun, Dom had yet to chase away Elliot. He still couldn’t get over that moment in the garden, and he wasn’t sure if he ever would.

He turned to lay on his back, letting out a sigh as he stared at his bedroom ceiling. He should’ve been asleep by now…

…This has to be a crush, right? He wondered, pulling his blankets up just enough to cover his mouth.

…Of all people… why did it have to be him? Why did it have to be…

Dom blinked, the answer hitting him almost immediately.

Elliot was everything…

He was kind and gentle. He treated everyone he met with an unconditional warmth no one else could replicate. He was caring and patient, and had a way of seeing the beauty in everything, no matter how small.

He was practically an angel. A wisp of heaven in human form…

Dom turned to lay back on his side, staring down at the little night-light plugged into the wall. Even its soft, white glow managed to remind him of Elliot’s smile.

So, the question was never: Why do I like Elliot?

It was: Why did Elliot have to like…

*+*+*

“M-Milly?!”

Dom glanced up towards the sound of Elliot’s voice, only to catch a glimpse of the pink-haired girl herself making her way over to him. Dom’s eyes widened slightly, a little surprised by her presence as well.

“H-Hey, Ellie!” She greeted. Two words in, and her face already matched the color of her hair. It was so painfully obvious she liked him, and the way Elliot’s eyes seemed to sparkle as he made his way over to her made was just as telling.

Dom never missed the way Elliot would brighten whenever he got a chance to talk about the girl. And he’d he lying if he said it didn’t bother him a little.

He bit the inside of his cheek, turning back to the flowers he’d been watering. And he couldn’t help but listen in to their conversation.

“What- what are you doing here?” Elliot asked.

“Oh, Hailey and Zander had to leave early today.” Milly responded. “I still got a little bit before my dad picks me up so, figured I stop by?”

“Oh! Yes! I’m glad you came! I-it’s always really nice to see you.” Dom stole another glance at the two, and Milly’s face had somehow gotten even brighter than her hair.

“R-really?” She stammered, her voice so soft it was barely recognizable.

“Yeah, I-”

“Hey, lovebirds!” Dom found himself talking suddenly. Words were escaping before he could even think about them. “Get a room, why don’t you?”

Both of them turned to face him, blushing madly.

“I- s-shut up, greenbean!” Milly shouted. “W-we’re not even-!” Dom laughed. Trying not to think about the sinking feeling in his stomach.

“Why so defensive? Might give us the wrong idea.”

“I’ll give you a wrong idea-” She mumbled, cracking her knuckles as Dom chuckled, praying it sounded genuine.

Before Milly could actually act on her threat, however, Elliot placed a hand on her shoulder, which alone seemed to ease a bit of her tension. She turned to face him, and was met with soft, caring smile.

“W-why don’t I show you the flowers we’ve been growing? We just planted a bunch of new ones recently!”

“Y-yeah! Okay!” She agreed, and Dom turned back around to the flowers he’d been watering, watching the way the leaves drooped a little under the water’s weight. He hadn’t even registered the puddle forming on top of the soil.

“Great! Well, uhm, come with me!” Elliot said. He sounds so happy with her…

“Dom?” Faye’s voice suddenly snapped him out of his trance, and quickly, he looked up.

“Hey, hi- uh, what’s up?” He said, and Faye pointed down at the flower bed he was watering.

“I think they’re good-” Dom glanced down at the soil, suddenly realizing how much water he’d given them.

“Ah, shoot! Heh, my bad.” He laughed, scratching the back of his head.

“Are you doing okay?” She asked. And Dom smiled, giving her a nod.

“Yeah, yeah I’m cool. Uh, I’m gonna go refill this. Looks like I used up most of it.” Before Faye could respond, Dom turned to leave, heading over to the hose to refill the watering can.

He kept his gaze fixated on his feet, telling himself over and over again to be supportive. Because Elliot was happy. And that’s all that mattered.

…Wasn’t it?

…

Maybe… in another life, Elliot would’ve been able to look at him that way.

Maybe in another life, they could been something.

Or maybe, in another life, none of this ever happened. And Elliot was nothing more than a friend with the prettiest face and the kindest soul Dom had ever seen. And Dom never once found himself wondering what Elliot’s lips would feel like against his…

Maybe, in another life… he could’ve saved himself. Saved himself from falling hopelessly for his best friend.

…But not in this life.