2021-06-09 - Would You Have Given it Up?

It's the end of the day and Xavier is closing out the till and counting out the money to make sure it all adds up. He takes out what is needed for the night deposit and puts it in the zip close bank bag and walks over to assure the door is locked. Jogging up to the sitting area, he peeks around for Elias, expecting him to be there, and writing like he was earlier. "So, any big plans tonight? We could go get something to eat, or maybe a beer if you're feeling up to it."

He's danced around the topic of what happened in the woods, but hasn't outright asked about his feelings yet. He isn't sure if he should cross that line, but he is ever so curious to do so.

Elias is indeed upstairs in the little sitting area, his laptop on his lap, tapping away quietly where he sits cross-legged on the couch, glasses perched on his nose. He glances up when he hears Xavier coming up the stairs and offers him a small faint smile. "No, no plans," he says, though when Xavier invites him to eat, he seems to consider it for a moment or two. "We could." He doesn't go out often. Most of the time he spends locked away in the shop or in his house, save for that trip into the woods with Xavier and the others. He hasn't spoken about it. He hasn't dodged it either, but he's offered no comment on the topic thus far.

"Or we could order in, I'm not fussed, or too keen on seeing a bunch of people." Xavier says, perhaps picking up on Elias' vibe as he flops down in one of the chairs. He opens his laptop and checks on some notifications. "Are you alright?" He attempts in a casual voice as he looks over the top of his screen. "I mean, since the other night and such. I didn't think it would get so weird when I invited you to a hike in the woods. I probably should have asked you this ages ago, I'm obviously a terrible friend."

"I could go out, I suppose," Elias says. It's not that he refuses to, he just never suggests it on his own, never really makes an effort to go out anywhere. "Was there someplace that you were thinking about going?" He raises his shoulders and lets them fall when Xavier asks if he's alright. "I'm okay." That's generally his answer most of the time. Though when Xavier refers back to the woods, his eyes drop to the laptop in his lap and he folds his arms lightly around himself. "I.. should have known better. I knew.. if you were messing with those things.. something like that would happen. I didn't want to see you get hurt."

"Somewhere with vegetables. As much as I like eating at a sports bar I always go to bed feeling like I have a stone in my stomach." Xavier frowns at the shrug. "You keep saying that and I don't know if you're trying to convince me or yourself." Though his expression softens as he hears his explanation, and he doesn't miss the crossed arms. "I admit that after being here for as long as I have, which I understand isn't all that long, that I should know better. I keep getting sucked in and I'm not sure how. Still, I would have hated to be the reason you were danger. " He frets his lip as he considers not asking his follow up question. "Would you have done it? If the rest of us were not there?"

"Vegetables are good," Elias says. He's always liked vegetables. That hasn't changed, at least. He sees the frown and lifts a hand, combing his fingers through his hair, brushing the dark curls back from his forehead. "Maybe both," he admits. Though he offers a faint almost sad smile. "You are not the reason I am in danger. Believe me, I was getting myself in trouble long before you came to town." He considers the follow-up question, though, and after a few moments, he nods.

"I'd like to say that's a comforting thought, but now I'm curious to what you got up to." Xavier some how keeps a straight face when Elias nods to his question. "I wouldn't have stopped you if I didn't think it would have made it all worse. I feel like you still would have been roped into all of this, or he would have done something worse to you." Though Xavier still feels like a fish out of water with a lot that goes on in the town. "But I hate to rob you of the obvious peace you seek."

"Believe me, even if I told you, it wouldn't help you any," Elias says with a slight shake of his head. "I used to teach people about the Veil, and Dreams, and the strangeness of this town. I used to try to help them like I knew what I was talking about. But I didn't know anything. And I didn't help anyone, least of all myself." There's no bitterness there, just a kind of contemplative observation. Though he looks over at Xavier and says, "What I seek and what They will allow me to have are two very different things. Eventually something will kill me. If it's not that thing in the woods, then something else. Then maybe there will be peace."

"Well no, I'm not asking because I'm hoping for sage advice or wisdom, but to maybe help you lessen the burden." Xavier closes his laptop and sets it aside as he doesn't want the notifications distracting him from the conversation. He listens to Elias talk and while he can tell that his friend completely believes this, that doesn't make him feel any less unsettled. "I'm going to be a bit forward here but do you need a hug? I know you've been through something but I think you're delving deep into it." Perhaps too deep but he won't beat a dead horse.

Elias nods, seeming to understand what Xavier intends, though he offers nothing more on his past, at least for the moment. Instead, he goes to shut down his own laptop, turning off what he was working on and powering it down before he closes it up. It gives him something to do with his hands other than wrap his arms around himself. Does he need a hug? Probably. But when asked, he offers a wan smile. "Too deep?" as though he'd heard the thought, even though he hadn't.

Xavier stands and frowns. "Yea maybe a bit. You're here, you probably go home, I'm not fully sure about that, but I don't hear about you doing anything else. You're existing and while I I can understand a need to do that sometimes, I'm worried that you're not allowing yourself anything else. Sure, this is all fucked, things are likely going to eat us, or kill us, or maybe we'll get overzealous with our own powers and explode ourselves. However there's gotta be more than that or you're going to go crazy." He shoves his hands in his pockets and sighs. "I'm probably talking out of my ass, but I"m worried about you."

Elias stands as well, slinging his bag over his shoulder and tucking his laptop into it, standing there across from Xavier, just studying him in silence for a moment or two. "You would have liked me better before," he observes. Again, with no bitterness in his tone. It's an observation more than anything else. "But you're not wrong." About which part? Him not allowing himself anything? Him just existing? Them likely getting eaten? Maybe all of it. "It's kind of you to worry, though."

"Maybe, I'm very picky about people I like. I like you now, even if you're a little..." Xavier vaguely gestures with his hands as the word hes searching for doesn't come to mind. Hearing that he isn't wrong Xavier looks surprised and smiles at his boss. "I will commit this to memory, the day you said I was not wrong." Though he isn't sure what he isn't wrong about, so instead he pulls his hands out of his pockets and opens his arms. "I know, empathy is a horrible flaw of mine, I'll work on caring less." The hug is offered, but he doesn't dare force it on Elias.

"A little....?" Elias raises both brows just a little bit, curious as to what word, exactly, Xavier had been fishing for there. Then it's his turn to look a little surprised. "I don't recall any days where I've said you /were/ wrong.." When Xavier opens his arms, Elias almost visibly seems to tense. And it seems to take him several long seconds to decide exactlyw hat to do about it. Finally, he does step toward Xavier, and into the hug. He's a little stiff, as though he's forgotten exactly how to do it. But then he tentatively hugs Xavier in return.

"Morose? I had a few other words come to mind but that one will let me keep my job." Xavier laughs and nods his head. "No you haven't, but I want to savor it just in case you do say I'm wrong about something." He feels a little awkward standing with his arms open, but when Elias gives in, he gently hugs him. Long enough that he feels a little tension leave his shoulders, but not too long. With a pat on his shoulder blades, Xavier steps back and rests his hands on Elias' shoulders. "Alright, lets go find some vegetables, or at the very least a beer."

"I wouldn't fire you," Elias says with a slight shake of his head. "I like having you here. And I like your company." He releases Xavier and takes a step back, then, and nods. "Vegetables," he agrees. "I'm sure that we can find someplace that both has vegetables and beer." He offers a small smile then before he turns to head down the steps down from the loft area and into the main shop. He checks the locks just once more before he moves to the front door to wait for Xavier and lock up after they leave.

"I like having you around too. No one else lets me ignore them while I write, or gives me proper feed back when I'm stuck on an idea." Granted, he can't really bark out his gothic romance novel out loud to his aunt with her raising a few questions. "I'm sure we can, let me get the door locked and I'm good to go." He's glad that he got a smile out of Elias and quickly kills the lights and locks the door.

Elias lets Xavier take care of that and waits out on the sidewalk, hands in his pockets, messenger bag over one shoulder. He looks out around the downtown area, just standing there on the familiar corner like he's done a thousand times before. But his expression is a little distant. When Xavier comes out he says, "I enjoy reading your writing and giving you feedback." He studies the man for a moment or two. "I genuinely like the story and want to find out how it ends."

"Well you will be the first to know how it ends." Xavier laughs as he adjusts his own laptop bag. "Your tips have helped a great deal, I feel like the words are making more sense now." He gestures down to the area and smirks. "So lets go find some beer and vegetables." He smiles at Elias as he rocks back and forth on his feet. "Or if you're feeling like eating your feelings we can get something greasy."

Elias smiles a little faintly and says, "Are your feelings often greasy when you eat them?" One brow raises just a little bit. But then he shakes his head and heads off down the street. "Thai Table? I think they have vegetarian dishes if you're looking for just vegetables. They also have beer." He slips his hands into his pockets and waits, open to some other suggestion if Xavier happens to have one.

"I mean, if you're eating about your feelings those are usually greasy right? It's rare that I eat food because I am happy." When he mentions Thai, Xavier nods. "I'd be fine with that, I hear spicy food is good for you." He'll turn in the direction of the restaurant and start walking. "So, where do you live anyway? Not that I want to stalk you or anything but I've never asked."

"I don't know," Elias admits. "I usually eat when I'm hungry, not in any particular mood." And from the looks of him, that could be never or all the time, given how wiry he is. He strolls along in the direction of the restaurant and smiles a little bit when Xavier asks where he lives. "You do know where I work. If you wanted to stalk me, I'd suspect you'd have little trouble doing so. I live in the Weber House. It's on Oak Street."

"Ah. I was one of those who dove into carbs when I was upset, than felt guilty about it and went for several runs afterwards. College was a little weird." Xavier laughs to himself and idly window shops as they pass by stores. "I mean yes, but you're very boring at the store. If I stalked your house I could always learn what toothpaste you use, or your favorite flavor of juice." Xavier says dryly. "That sounds fancy. Houses with names are always fancy."

Elias idly watches Xavier as he window shops, studying the man, and then whatever it is that he seems to find interesting in the shop windows. He doesn't seem quite as interested in the contents as he is in what it is that Xavier finds interesting. "I'm very boring at home, too," Elias points out with the faintest quirk of his lips. "But you are welcome to come and peek into my medicine cabinet if you like. It's just an old house. It's not.. fancy, per se. But the family's been around since the founding of the town, and it's been our family home since then. So... Weber House. Plus, everyone thought we were witches for a really long time, which gives it a little bit more of a story than there really is, too."

Xavier's eyes linger on trinkets and clothing items. He'll occasionally check the name of a store sign to perhaps return later to buy things. "Who isn't? Home is where you're supposed to be boring, even I am guilty of laying around in boring clothing and staring at the internet like something new is going to happen with it. " He nods, and tilts his head. "You know someone told me you were from a family of witches, but honestly what does that even mean in the context of this town? Arn't we all witches in a sense? At least by the biblical terms."

Curiosity satisfied, for the most part, Elias turns his attention back to the direction in which they are walking. It doesn't take too long to get to the Thai place. When they arrive, he opens the door and holds it for Xavier to head inside. There's a faint look of amusement at that and he says "Oh? Who told you that?" He makes his way over to a table and settles into a seat, leaning back in it just a little bit and glancing at the menu. He's been here or ordered from here often enough to know what he wants. "These days? It doesn't mean much of anything. To those who fled here from the East Coast? It meant quite a great deal at the time."

"Turner. He warned me about your family but I had already accepted the position at the store, and I guessed that you were not going to drag me into the woods for some weird naked ritual. My family stayed east, they just migrated to Canada after the revolutionary war. They still liked King George for... reasons." Once they arrive in the shop, Xavier puts his hands in his pockets and reads over the menu. It doesn't take long for him to put his order in and shrug his shoulders. "I've been to Salem, it's not all it's cracked up to be. However I heard a very interesting study that something in the grain my have caused a mass hysteria."

"Ah," Elias says when Xavier mentions that it was Turner who had told him. The Librarian. He supposes that makes sense. "There was a time that I might have, though certainly not without consent, and likely less ritual and more alcohol and dancing," he observes. He puts in his own order as well when their server comes by before his attention turns back to Xavier, studying him thoughtfully. He lets his shoulders rise and fall. "I've never been there. It's where my family was before they came here."

"Up until our recent jaunt in the rooms I may have taken you up on that. For now I think I'll save my nudity for the shower. However I am more than happy to dance about fully clothed." Xavier settles into his spot after their order is taken and shrugs. "At least it's a cool story. I'd say travel out there, but a lot of it is touristy. Maybe they still have a Weber house out there too? That would be interesting to see."

"Perhaps there is," Elias muses. "Perhaps someday I will go out and see for myself." Though the way he says it might give one the impression that he doesn't really foresee that happening. "How is Turner?" He hasn't seen the librarian in quite some time. "And the others who went with us into the woods?" He assumes that Xavier's more likely to have been in touch with them.

"Perhaps you will." Xavier isn't sure if he means that, but in the end Elias is the only one that would be effected by it. "He's doing well. I think he gets lonely in that huge house, so I stay over there often. It's very nice inside, and a break from my aunt is welcome." When he asks about the other, Xavier shrugs. "I only know Conner, and he seems fine. Getting into more trouble of course, something about a carousel, and removing the eyes of the animals on it? I was very confused."

Elias smiles when Xavier talks about spending time with Turner, "That's nice of you, to keep him company, and it's nice that you can get a break." He almost looks curious about the talk about the carousel but then he seems to hold himself back from asking about it, shaking his head a little at himself and says, "I'm glad to hear that he is okay as well." Regardless of whatever else he might be getting up to.