For grindr

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[Continued from here]

Elliot was in a good mood. He still kept his hood up, blocking out the majority of the world's sights and sounds and narrowing his focus to what was in front of him but he didn't feel so pressed in. It was a good day for him. He had those sometimes. The really good day where he was sure that what he felt was something akin to true happiness.

And this was the first time he'd been spending one of those days with TJ. TJ had seen him at some of his worst so he figured, he was worth sharing this sort of day with. Between the subway and the walking it'd taken about an hour to get to TJ's place after the last text.

When he got inside and up to TJ's floor he lightly knocked on the door, before he pull down his hood. His face was relaxed and even a slight smile accented his resting expression today.

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[grindr]

Thankfully being a Friday night in New York, it took eternity for the pizza to come. Elliot may have passed the delivery guy in the lobby. TJ was just trying to shove the overlarge box into oven to keep it warm when the second knock came. Elliot, of course. TJ put the pizza on the counter instead and made his way to the door.

“Perfect timing,” he quipped in greeting. “Food just arrived. Come in. You wanna beer?”

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"Yeah," Elliot answered as he made his way inside the other's apartment. He still liked it. Nicer than his but it wasn't too stuffy or the sort of pretentious place that one might expect. It was comfortable and right now it smelled like pizza which made it even better.

"It smells good."

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TJ closed and locked the door behind him, following along in Elliot’s footsteps. “I may or may not be dying to try this,” he admitted without bothering to hide his eagerness. Whether it was for the pizza or Elliot’s company, it wasn’t clear (though probably more of the latter than the former).

It’s not a huge apartment, so it doesn’t take much for TJ to surpass Elliot, making his way to the fridge to get out a couple of beers. “Plates are in the cupboard,” he stated with a vague nod toward one of very few cupboards. “There’s a story behind this pizza, right?”

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Elliot quickly located the plates, pulling down two and setting them on the counter. His eyes went to the pizza box and then back to TJ at the question. A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips.

"It's not a special story. Just one of those things that makes me remember a good time," he said. "My friend, Angela, she's always trying to help me. Make friends, socialize, she even helped me get a job. She always wanting me to try more."

He reached to open the box and the smell was stronger. He was surprised at the intensity of his own appetite for once. "This is one thing she's made me try that was just good. We had a lot of fun. It was her and my sister and me... things were better then."

A small shrug as if he hadn't just given one of the most personal stories of himself since they'd met. He hadn't thought twice about opening up to share the story with TJ, later he'd probably find that strange.

[grindr]

Angela. There’s a name he hadn’t heard before. It made him perk up, piqued his curiosity even more. And, well, TJ didn’t fail to notice that Elliot was opening up. Not that didn’t often have these kind s of conversations with others, but it felt different to have Elliot offer up something personal without having to pry it out of him. How best to continue this without pushing for too much, TJ wondered.

“She sounds like a good friend. How long have you known her?”

It seemed like a simple enough question. It had an empirical answer that didn’t really have to be intensely personal. He didn’t ask how they met or what they do for fun, nothing that could be considered prying. TJ wasn’t one to pry where he so clearly wasn’t wanted. If Elliot wanted to tell him things, he would in his own time. Just like this.

Even as he asked it, TJ took his plate, but waited for Elliot to help himself first. It gave him an excuse to watch, to notice the subtle smile and how very relaxed Elliot seemed for once. It was actually kind of nice. And TJ felt stupid for being so happy about it.

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Elliot went ahead and got a couple of slices of the pizza, setting them on the plate and his were on the slices. "She's a really good friend. Darlene and I knew here since we were kids."

Grabbing one of the beers, he smiled at TJ as he slid past him and went to the couch. There was a careless way that he let their arms brush, a little intentional because he wanted to test himself. He wondered if it was temporary the way things were so comfortable around TJ, he could talk easier, could touch easier. It didn't really broach normal, he knew that, but it was different.

Then again, TJ was different from just about anyone else in his life. He sort of reminded Elliot of Darlene but with her crazy taken down a few notches or two. Or if Darlene and Angela were just merged into one person that person would be kind of like TJ. So, he guessed, it'd been natural that he start to feel comfortable because even though TJ was newer there was something familiar in him. And he'd proven himself already to be worthy of Elliot's trust and that his friendship was valuable.

[grindr]

It’s normal enough for TJ. Well, what he thought of as normal. Just two people hanging out and eating together. What’s more normal than that? Usually, any company he has came round for one of two reasons: sex or drugs. Not that there weren’t those things with them, but Elliot didn’t leave immediately after, nor did TJ want him to. It’s a nice change.

“That’s nice,” he replied with a soft smile. “I never had a lot of friends. Still don’t, really.” TJ piled a couple slices of pizza on his plate, a few breadsticks, grabbed his beer and joined Elliot on the couch. “I’m not sure why. I just always assumed it was me, not them.”

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Elliot nodded, idly taking a few bites before he spoke again. "I never really had a lot of friends either. People I know... but that's different than a friend." There were even some points in times where his imaginary friend count was higher than his real friend count but that was neither here nor there. Forming emotional attachments was not his strong suit.

"I don't think it's you." Elliot sat his plate on his lap as he looked at TJ before continuing. "Society doesn't want honesty and you are surrounded by the patrons of society. I guess that does sort of mean it is you..."

He smiled, taking back to his pizza. To him, it was a good thing if society didn't accept you as you were.

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TJ paused, then laughed, a broad smile spreading over his face. “I knew it!” While that wasn’t exactly what TJ meant, Elliot’s was an interesting interpretation. And maybe a valid on, too. TJ really didn’t enjoy bullshit. He didn’t enjoy that causal lies and manipulation of speech. Yeah, of course everyone lies, but it’s about little things like “do these jeans make my ass look big.” He’s obviously spent too much time around politicians to resent that sort of behavior so much.

“Good thing I got you so I’m not lonely.” Well, maybe that’s taking it too far. TJ liked to think they were friends. Maybe more, but labels make things complicated. He tries to avoid complicated. TJ paused a moment, taking a few bites before he finally looked a little more serious. But only a little. “You know, you’re right about this pizza. I didn’t think I’d like it quite so much.”

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Elliot smiled again taking a few bites of pizza. He liked that he had TJ too. There was something always comforting about the friendship they'd been building piece by piece. As short a time as he had known TJ he knew he could rely on him for mostly anything he'd hazard to guess, at least within the other's power that is.

"It really grows on you, yeah?" It wasn't often that Elliot had had this pizza. And he'd never really shared it with anyone else new before now either. Little things like this were special to him. "I'm glad you like it."

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"Thanks for sharing it with me." In their brief acquaintance, TJ had already figured out Elliot doesn't open up a lot. It's fine, TJ doesn't pry, not about anything important. But he didn't fail to recognize the significance of it all: the pizza, the story behind it. It's definitely a nice reminder that they were actually friends, in whatever strange sense of the word they use.

"This might become my new regular order," he admitted while chewing another bite.

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"I've changed your life completely, then," Elliot said with a small grin, continuing to eat and relaxing further as he reached for his beer.

[grindr]

TJ chuckled, his expression going thoughtful. Actually, Elliot has change his life. In the short time they've known each other, TJ's found a valued friend, someone who doesn't judge or try to change him, for whom he can be the same thing. The occasional sex wasn't so bad, either.

"Yeah, yeah you have." TJ smiled warmly before shoving another bite in his mouth. "One day, I'll return the favor."

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Elliot hadn't expected that kind of a response, nor that smile that made his heart squeeze slightly. He thought of saying that he already had but the words didn't want to come out, but he turned them over in his mind instead, focusing on the food.

"I'd settle for you thanking me a bit."

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A curious, playful brow arched and slow smile spread over TJ's lips. "As in actually thank you or as in blowing you when we're done eating?" SO sorry, Elliot. TJ has a dirty mind.

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Elliot nearly choked on the bite of food in his mouth, glancing at TJ.

"Do you want to blow me?"

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TJ gave him a look of equal parts fake seriousness and fake offense. "Elliot, if there is ever a time I don't want a cock in my mouth, know that I've been replaced by a pod person or an android or something."

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That did make Elliot laugh and set down his mostly eaten pizza slice. "You're never not in the mood then?"

Which was less important at the moment than getting thanked with TJ's mouth on his dick. He'd never really get tired of that.

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"To suck dick? Never. Not ever gonna turn that down." And if that sometimes led to more, so be it. TJ eyed the pizza Elliot put down and looked back to him, a single brow lifted. "You don't wanna finish eating first?"

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Elliot bit his lip and lifted a shoulder. "I've already ate more than I usually would," he admitted. "You should finish eating, though."

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TJ grinned and nodded once. After a beat, his expression went serious. He set his pizza down and leaned over to kiss Elliot softly. It was different from the usual way TJ kissed him, clearly not intended to start anything. "Thank you."

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Elliot blinked in surprise when the other kissed him. It was different. He could feel that from the moment TJ leaned in. He nodded when the other spoke, feeling himself unsure of what to say then so he looked at the half eaten slice pizza on his plate instead.