you and i

14

 I kissed Elliot. I kissed Elliot. I shouldn't have done that. He bolted down the hallway of the hotel until he was outside, carrying the feeling of utter confusion along with him. He feared that something like this would happen and right now, all he could do was run. "Storm wait!"

Behind him, he saw Elliot running at full speed in an attempt to catch up with him. This surprised Storm since he didn't know that he could run that fast. But this was no time to gawk at the human that he was falling for. Quickly he turned on his heels and headed the opposite direction of where Elliot was, but he wasn't quick enough.

Elliot tackled him to the ground and flipped him so that they were facing each other; bodies on top of one another. "STOP RUNNING AND LISTEN TO ME!" His face is so close. "NO NOW GET OFF OF ME!" Elliot grabbed hold of Storms clothes and forced him up on his feet and planted his hands gently on top of his shoulders as he gazed into to his eyes in worry.

"Just listen to me-"

"I KISSED YOU ELLIOT!" After that, the two of them fell into an uncomfortable silence that lasted seconds but felt like centuries. "I kissed you and I can't just talk to you like nothing happened" With one swift movement he slapped Elliot's hands off of his shoulders and took a giant step back to create some distance.

"I didn't ask you to-"

"WELL, THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! You did an experiment on me just to prove that you believed in me and now you chase after me when I feel like absolute Angelo! Y'know what, Elliot, I hate you, I am fucking hate that you go mess things up in my head uninvited!"

He gripped his hair with his fingers and paced back and forth while the words came out naturally. "I hate that you say things that make perfect sense and I hate that you make me feel like you are the one person that gets me the way I want, and I hate that you just know me"

No, I don't hate you. That's not what I'm trying to say, but I can't stop myself from saying it. "I hate that you said those things to me the day you saw me talking to my parents, I hate that you believe in me, and I hate that........... I hate that I feel so many emotions right now and I don't regret kissing you and I hate that you're turning me into someone I'm not. I am fucking hate that I can't bring myself to hate you"

Tears blurred his vision and made Elliot look like one big blob. But he felt his presence. He knew that he was right in front of him watching, listening, and taking in what he was saying without judgment. I'm sorry that I can't explain this as I want to. He rubbed his eyes vigorously hating the fact that he was feeling weak. But then he looked over at Elliot; his vision now clear after wiping away the few stray tears.

Elliot crossed his arms and sighed.

"You're very selfish and ridiculous. Do you honestly think that you're the only one feeling the way you're feeling?

"I WAS RAPED BY A MAN"

"What?" This took Storm by surprise. He just assumed that it was an older woman that sexually assaulted him, not a man. "Of course. Like anyone else, you thought that it was a woman, didn't you? Well, it wasn't, and I feared males of all ages after that night. The marks he placed on my body never faded away and it has been months. I was so scared that I became mute. But look. I am here in front of you having a conversation and it scares me just as much as it scared you to feel what you're feeling"

He stepped closer so that there was only a foot in between them. "I am talking to you because I am not afraid of you hurting me and I know that you're going to say that it is crazy for me to not be afraid of you, but I'm not. I was raped by a man, and I was a mute, afraid of all guys, but not you. And for the record I didn't stop you from kissing me, do you know why? It's because we are BOTH developing romantic feelings for each other. I know it. You know it, but you don't want to admit it"