abyssal ❦ lrh

03 ➝ artsy asshole

"Are you cold? You look cold."

Elise took in Michael's frown of concern, one he'd been unconsciously wearing since they'd left the safety of her dorm, about an hour ago, and grew nervous.

His concern was only wrapped in good intentions and she loved him for it, truly, but something in her couldn't fathom the possibility of being an annoyance; or a burden, even. It was a fear based on irrational thoughts and misplaced stressed, but it was there all the same. She hated it. She hated feeling that way, unable to accept the reality that she was simply just cared for.

Instead, she shook her head no. "I'm fine,"

Michael frowned. She was quite visibly shivering now. "Fine doesn't mean warm, Lisi,"

Elise shrugged. She was always a little bit cold, it's just how she was. She was fairly certain Michael knew that already, but she'd never be one to complain—he knew that, too. He knew all of her littlest traits, even the insignificant ones, and the ones she did her best to hide. Besides, she wasn't that cold. The sun had just set, was all, and the wind sent a bitter chill over her shoulders.

They'd been at Huntington for about an hour, now, and though the sunset had passed over the waves minutes ago, Elise found the early night to be quite beautiful. The sand beneath her feet was no longer hot, but cool to the touch, and the water was no longer a light, pretty teal, but instead a much darker navy; still, and calm, save for the soft crashing against the shore. It was a setting she quite loved, something she missed dearly.

The beach had always been a favorite of Elise's. Her mother used to say it was impossible to drag her away, when she was younger, for she never wanted to leave, at least not until the sun had gone down. She couldn't help it; the way the light on the water changed from gold to blue, the sand from hot to cold; it was entrancing. She could never tear her eyes away from the sight.

But that was years ago. Elise didn't spend too much time at the water anymore. She'd been trying to change that, slowly.

"Here," she heard Michael sigh softly, eyes glancing to the boy sat beside her just to catch him slipping his Champion hoodie over his head. "Put this on,"

"Michael, really," she shook her head gently. "I'm okay-"

"Just take it," he rolled his eyes, playfully, setting the sweatshirt in her small hands without a hint of hesitation. He'd been her best friend for years, and she still couldn't accept how much he cared for her. "You're freezing and you're not fooling anyone, Halder,"

She pursed her lips. They were stubborn in different ways, but Elise was far easier to crack. Michael watched in satisfaction as she slipped the black material past her arms and over her head, feeling herself drown in the soft fabric. She couldn't deny the amount of sheer comfort and warmth it brought her, though it was mostly because it was his.

Elise sent him a small, grateful small, adjusting the long sleeves over her hands. "Thank you,"

"You're welcome," he grinned, nudging her. "But that's what you get for wearing shorts,"

She rolled her eyes. "Everyone is wearing shorts,"

He rolled them back, just as Calum Hood, who she last remembered to be searching extensively for something to drink, sat back down across from the pair, a beer in hand. Michael's arm came around her shoulders easily, a hand sliding up and down the expanse of her covered arm; a quick attempt at warming her up. "Yeah, but not everyone gets cold every minute of every day like you,"

Subtly, Elise felt herself lean further into his side, just an inch. She hadn't realized how close they'd gotten until she met Calum's gaze, eyeing the two of them as he sipped from the bottle in his hand. His brow raised curiously toward the girl, asking a silent question.