Eliseo has been pointedly ignoring Joss for the better part of ten days. He doesn’t know if Joss ever tried to catch his eye, but it wouldn’t matter to him either way.

And now they’re in gym, and they’re team captains, and Eli is looking at him for the first time in a week or more. He is going to crush Joss, even if the only way he can do so is through dodgeball. He can do that.

Joss seems to be confused by the focused attention that Eli is paying him and his team members. It’s more energy than Eli has put into any single activity all week. He throws the balls like they’re on fire, his aim clear. He’s so determined to win at something with Joss that he doesn’t notice everyone shying away from him and his furious hands until Joss points at him. Joss points toward the door, and his focus shatters. He’s instantly a wreck of nerves. He hasn’t slept well for ten days, and his emotions are frayed ropes inside, only betrayal and loss still standing strong.

Joss steps to the side, gesturing to the wall. Everyone notices Eli slip out of the game and to the side wall, but no one says anything.

“Walk with me,” Joss says, surprisingly formal and polite.

“No. I’d really rather not.”

“Fine. Then let’s just step into the hall so you can tell me why you’re acting like a fucking untamed beast and terrorizing the little freshman.”

Joss steps out, and Eli follows. Better than making a scene, at any rate.

“Why do you think?” Eli replies, more acid in his voice than he would have thought possible.

“Because you overheard me talking shit with my friend and since you thought that I actually cared about you, you felt bad, like the sissy you are. Why am I not even surprised.” Joss sighs, rubbing his forehead with one hand. “Jesus, Eli.”

Eli’s frown can’t deepen further. “Stop treating me like a child.” How come, even though he’s at least two inches taller, he feels so small?

Joss looks even more strained, if possible. “I’m… trying to say sorry. And that it wasn’t that bad anyway so you should stop fucking whining and throwing temper tantrums and just suck it.”

“Maybe if you wanted to say sorry you should have left it with the words ‘I’m sorry’,” Eli responds, and then turns around to walk away, to salvage the vestiges of his dignity.

Joss grabs his arm. “Wait! I mean… sorry. I was kinda a jerk. Are you not gonna talk shit about me now?”

Of course he’s only worried about his own reputation. Which is strange, because it’s not like it’s good.

“I haven’t yet, have I?” With that, Eliseo walks away. He’s won this one, hopefully making Joss feel like the asshole he is without telling him how much he cares what Joss thinks about him.

He hasn’t yet. No matter how much Joss says about him, he never will.