Elliot rolled over in his bed, letting the morning light hit his face.
He groaned, patting around his bed until he could find his phone, grabbing at sheets and pillows until his hand finally grabbed the cool, silicone case.
12:01PM.
So, maybe not morning light.
As he sat up, stretching himself, he relished in how relaxed his muscles felt...how well-rested he felt as a whole was a pleasant and much needed surprise.
Fighting the urge to stay in bed, Elliot swung his legs out and onto the floor, sighing discontentedly at the cold wood floor that greeted his feet. Elliot grabbed his comforter, wrapping it around him like a cloak, before waddling out into the living room.
“I haven’t seen you sleep this late since college!” Winn beamed from the kitchen as Elliot waddled towards the couch, still in a sleep hangover, “You feeling alright?”
Elliot mulled over how to respond to that question.
He was more than alright, but he was definitely a bit worn out from the emotional whiplash he’d given himself these last few days.
Winn fiddled with the coffee maker while Elliot took his time, her expression darkening.
“Look, about the other night…” She started, struggling to find her words as she handed Elliot a cup of coffee before sitting down in the plush chair adjacent to the couch, “I’m sorry if I went a little too tough on the whole tough love thing.”
Elliot sighed, “No, no. You’re fine.”
“Are you sure?” Winn said, raising an eyebrow, “I didn’t...I just...You’ve got to realize what you do affects other people, El.”
I do.” He said, taking a sip of the coffee, “Or at least, I think I do. I’m getting there. I’m sorry for being such a piece of shit Winn, I don’t deserve you.”
Winn blinked, “You must not be feeling well, this wasn’t the response I had anticipated.”
Elliot barked a laugh, “Yeah, I don’t think anticipating anything is really the best call right now.” Elliot took a sip of his coffee, both out of necessity and for the dramatic pause it created, “I deleted the videos.”
Silence hung in the air while Winn sat there in shock and Elliot sipped blankly at his coffee.
“Wait,” Winn said, taking a deep breath, “...what?”
Elliot shrugged it off nonchalantly, “I don’t know, okay? I felt...guilty?”
“You felt…” Winn was struggling with her words, “But...the interview? You got fired? This...are you...Did you have a stroke?”
“That would definitely explain a few things.” Elliot said flatly, “I also...you can keep a secret, right?”
Winn narrowed her deep brown eyes, “I ought to slap you.”
Elliot put up his hands in defense, “It was just a question! I just...I hung out with Danny yesterday.”
“You made him hang out with you?” She asked, trying to follow.
“No, he...I mean...I guess it was willingly. We’re friends now.”
“Friends.” Winn repeated slowly, “So you just...deleted your leverage out of...friendship?”
“That’s the thing,” Elliot said as he placed the coffee cup down on the table between them, “I deleted it before we hung out. Before he texted me. Like…literally after I went to my room and you went to bed.”
Winn stared at him in disbelief.
“I just...you were disappointed in me and Danny’s so...good. I felt like a bad person.” He said the last bit quietly as he leaned back into the couch.
“Elliot, you are a bad person.” Winn said blankly.
Elliot rolled his eyes, “Thanks.”
“So like, Danny just...hung out with you? Did you tell him about deleting the videos?” She asked, leaning forward.
“Uh…” Elliot struggled not to use the word “hypothetically”, the memory bringing a smile to his face, “Not really. I told him I might have. I wanted to see if he’d still give me an interview.”
“Well...would he?”
“Apparently, yes. I mean, I practically saved his life, so I guess it’s only fair.” Elliot brushed imaginary dust off of his shoulder, “I’m still in shock he wants to be friends with me.”
“Okay,” Winn said, putting her coffee down as she leaned forward, “I’m going to need the whole story. Start from the beginning.”
~
As Elliot filled Winn in on the last few hours of his life, he became increasingly aware of how long it had been since the two of them had talked at that length.
I really have been an awful person, He thought to himself.
Winn left for work, leaving Elliot with the apartment to himself.
He had been home alone before, sure, but this was the first time in quite some time he was left alone with nothing he had to do.
Complete, total, and absolute freedom.
Elliot was already bored.
After walking around the apartment aimlessly, opening the living room window for fresh air and making another cup of coffee, he walked over to his phone, swiping it open eagerly.
No new messages.
Maybe I just didn’t get a notification.
He opened it to his last conversation with Danny.
Still no new messages.
Of course not, stupid. Elliot chided himself, He’s busy. Probably had to work. Yeah. That’s it.
Elliot waddled into his room, slipping into baggy pajama pants before rummaging through his DVD collection for exactly what he knew he needed.
He walked back into the living room, the complete series of Sex and the City in tow.
As he put the first disc into the DVD player, he was already awash with nostalgia.
It was funny, how something so stupid was the entire reason he had ever even went into journalism in the first place.
It struck Elliot that, while an ambitious thing, he used to be a much better person. Or in the very least, much nicer.
If all I’m going to do is monologue and reminisce, I’m starting to see the true downside to unemployment, He thought, having only been unemployed for less than two days.
But it was true; Elliot used to care so much more about his friends. He used to have more than just a few, too.
He had always struggled with being ever-so-slightly vain and ever-so-slightly self-centered, but who hadn’t at one time or another?
Okay, he corrected himself, so... very vain and very self-centered. Semantics, Schemantics.
Either way, something about the bizarre combination of Danny’s unwillingness to be bad at his many provided opportunities, and Winn’s disappointment in him and steadfast kindness to him had inspired something in Elliot.
He couldn’t quite figure out what it was.
But, he wanted to be better.
Or at least try.
He was capable of that much.
As he sat there, mindlessly watching the television and checking his phone once or twice an hour, it occurred to him that he wasn’t sure about the last time he had had this much time to himself.
It was nice.
~
After nearly destroying the apartment in an attempt to cook Winn dinner, he had opted to order take out. It arrived shortly before she did, which worked out pretty perfectly, if he did say so himself.
They sat there, eating Chinese food and enjoying each other’s company, for what felt like the first time.
It had been so long since Elliot just….existed.
I should quit jobs more often, He thought contentedly.
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