❝ —𝓼𝓪𝓯𝓮 𝔃𝓸𝓷𝓮 ❞

(drunk Ellis mode cause he won’t reply to this while sober)

My friend, I’m like a double sided math homework, I got a lot of problems, I’ll always make you work for it, am always hard and when you turn to see the back side... all you gonna say is ‘Fuck.

Neither, but if they weren’t my dads I’d love to throw a baseball ball at @roscbud‘s balls, that would be real funny to watch

“Ellis, don’t sell yourself short. That was a sound piece of advice,” Tristan said solemnly, only half paying attention to his surroundings and anything that wasn’t his reflection. He needed a moment to remember he needs to be sociable and snapped his attention back to the boy. 

“A spring wedding? That’s wonderful.” Tristan was overcome with the desire to make a horrified comment that children Ellis’ age have no business getting married yet, but he managed to reign himself in quickly enough. “Is it a destination wedding? Those are usually more annoying than they’re worth, but if it’s for the right company, I suppose it’s justified.” As he was blabbering about the intricacies of getting married, Tristan came over to Ellis and without explaining what he was doing, slipped off the jacket he was wearing and gave him another one. “Now, now, weddings are a fun affair and I’m sure you’ll have a blast. Now, put this on and you’ll feel much better.” Tristan nodded affirmingly at the change, then added: “Did you pick a tie? You can’t go to a wedding without one.”

“Well, I’m not exactly the fashion one in the family.” He chuckled and shrugged as he was trying to feel more comfortable with no suit as they weren’t a thing for him, Ellis would feel a lot more comfortable just wearing a nice button shirt. “His soon-to-be husband loves flowers so yeah, spring wedding, they caused a nightmare at my dads store with their two thousand flowers demand. And oh I wish it was a destination wedding, but no, it’s something they call casual at their huge house, a casual wedding at a mansion with it’s own fountain and two thousand flowers.” He replied while using a little bit of sarcasm at the end hidden behind his side grin.

As Tristan gave him another piece to try it on, Ellis sighed, shoulders feeling heavy already, he didn’t wanted this to take this long. “Listen, if you try to put a tie on me I’ll have you arrested.” He shook his head with a smile, eyeslooking at Tristan through the mirror. “But anyways, where you going looking like blonde James Bond?”

Billy loves how mature he is, because the first thing he does is mock his son by echoing, “You overestimate yourself too much, old man,” in a higher pitched voice than was normal. If only because his son liked to egg him on, then Billy would do the same. The heat has taken most of his energy, zapped it from his body, but he knows he’s got one last hit in him. One last home run so he can talk the bases at a leisurely pace. If Ellis ran for the ball, then he’d move a little quicker. “Has anyone ever told you that as my son you smell like baby diapers? Used baby diapers that is,” he clarified. “You need to come by the shop later and point out coneflowers to me,” Billy laughed, knowing for a fact that they hadn’t sold them since they were in style for one season like five years ago. And also, if you don’t want to talk about my balls, then you shouldn’t have brought them into this, kiddo.” He smirks, taking a stance. “Now quit your yabberin’ and throw the fucking ball so I can win already.”

Being mocked by his dad was an everyday thing, Billy and Ellis had that kind of relationship, they were friends and family all in one and nobody could take that away from them, and there’s no conversation about how loyal they were to each other, that was one of the things Ellis loved about this family. “Do I really?” He tilted his head to the side taking a minute to smell under his arms. “I don’t think so, but well... If I do, I think guys love the baby diapers smell.” He shrugged and giggled as he was forced to say that to feel his ego being pet a little. “Just kidding...” He added. If Billy could make a joke about his balls than Ellis could make one about his male ‘friends’, but mostly he was trying to get him distracted as Ellis would throw the ball up and up again on hand waiting for the perfect moment to try to beat him. “Please don’t talk to me about anybody’s balls while I’m holding one.” He once again took position, eyes focused, flexed arms, focusing all he have left of energy on that ball and throwing at a high speed.

   Josh sighed heavily as he listened, he used his hands to cover his face. He did not know that Oliver was getting this bad and he knew that he had to do something, even trust Ellis if he truly wanted to help Olliver and also keep him from hurting other people. “You are right, based on what you have just said. I am in no position nor see a reason to argue with you or disagree with you. He should not be able to have a gun in the first place and if he does hurt someone then it will be on my hands,” he replied voice calm as he looked at the male. Josh honestly did not know what to do, he was in a complicated position and he put himself there because he wanted to help the kid. “I have tried my best to be there for him but I guess I have not been doing enough to keep him from going down that path.”

“I don’t think you should blame yourself for what might happen. You’re doing your job and I’m doing mine, we can’t change him if he doesn’t want to.” Ellis was trying to use common sense, he didn’t wanted Josh to feel guily of anything, but at same time he wanted to understand his reasons for trying to help that kid, it was visible that it had something else there, Ellis just wasn’t yet sure of what, but was trying some guesses. “The way you talk about this kid... do you know him from somewhere?” He asked as moving his elbows forward over the table, getting a little closer to Josh if he decides to keep his voice down. “I might be wrong but... the way you seem to worry about him, sounds like you two are pretty close.”

   “That’s amazing and all you can do is just take it one day at a time,” he replied to the other as he smiled. Maxwell remembered when he the males age, he was still figuring stuff out and he remembered the day he moved out to his apartment. “I thought that it was maybe finally time to somewhat start settling down and I loved Austin. My grandparents used to live in town and I came here every summer when I was little.”

Getting to know new people in town was great, Ellis is quite used to be friendly and receptive to others, specially guys that look like that one, while his friends were having a drunk and loud fun at their table, he was there by the bar just talking to that stranger and trying to make a new friend, that felt nice, he had a smile on his fac the whole time. “That’s awesome dude.” He nodded. “I live here with my parents since I was little, got lucky to be adopted by the most friendly couple in town so they’re pretty great dads, and I just decided to stay, Austin is a good place to be, even tho sometimes you get tired of locals, just wait for it.”

“I’m going to pretend like you said your Paps, cause we both know that’s the real answer.”

“Ellis…. you have friends?”

The dad from the classic 1997 ‘Life is beautiful’, that movie gets me to tears everytime, and the kid’s dad is by far the best dad that ever existed.

I see what you trying to do here.

   There were only a few number of reasons that Joshua got involve and did this but the main reason came from his past. A past that he never talked about but kept hidden. Even his last name hides his past. Josh took a sip of his coffee and listened to the male speak. “I don’t make it an habit to come to police station all the time,” he replied a small chuckle escaping his lips, still attentive to other male. “I hope so tooo,” he added. Knowing now this was about Oliver, a complicated mess. “I know the kid has caused you a lot of trouble and I am sorry about that but you should understand he is not a bad kid.”

“It’s really not a typical place where people want to be.” He replied as Josh made a pause. “hm, yeah... I know you’re fighting for him.” Ellis’s expression went a little concern for a second, he couldn’t lie right to his face, but at same time he didn’t wanted to tell the truth of the facts just like that, in his life as a cop he had seen quite a few things, people and situations that would cause him to think a lot about his actions and the things he decide to believe in, he knew Josh wasn’t a ba lawyer, he didn’t seemed to be one, but that’s why he needed to talk to him, to undertand as much as he could. “Emilia Ross...” He said with a heavy sigh. “... the girl he robbed the first time he was arrested, she said he looked nervous, like it wasn’t used to this. We arrested him, you got him out, two weeks ago, Liam Forster, the owner of the shop he robbed with a gun, he said he looked into this kid’s eyes and saw nothing but cold eyes who knew exactly what he wanted.” He made a short pause to adjust his posture, gaze now locked on Josh. “He’s getting worst, Josh... quite fast. He’s gonna do something really bad soon, and I just... I don’t think I’m the only one who can see that.”

   “It’s a good thing that you are exploring that you are exploring all this freedom now and after all you are still young to enjoy yourself and have fun,” he replied smiling and chuckling. Max never had a hard time talking to people, even the most unfriendliest but Ellias seemed like someone he could become friends with and get along with as well. “Well, I think it’s important for one to get things and their life in order before anything else.”

“That’s what I tell myself everyday when I wake up.” He chuckled, gaze moving from his drink to the guy. “Yeah, I totally agree, and well, look at me now, I’m a good cop, from a good family and soon I’ll be moving into my own place and starting my life for real. Guess I’m living the dream.” He nodded, taking a sip of the drink he had in hands and now getting more interested on hearing more about this guy. “So, tell me about you, what you doing in town?”

“You won’t do it, punk,” Billy responded, egging him on. He smirked at his son. “I think we both know that I definitely could catch it, El.” Billy wiped his brow again, the heat was a bit stronger than he was expecting. He wouldn’t admit to getting tired though, not yet. He still needed to teach his son a thing or two. “Holding back on me then? How’s that fair. I thought I was kicking my 22 year old son’s ass. Now you’re telling me that you’re taking it easy on me?” he smirked, shifting away slightly from the nut punch. “Something tells me you’re just bluffing, but I’ll call it. See if you can pick up the ball there. I know you’ve had trouble finding it with your bat, but see if your hand can manage to get it.” He tosses his glove to Ellis and reaches for the bat, swapping spots for the time being. “I mean, you know sunflowers are like seven feet tall, right? Or is the heat starting to get to you, kiddo?” He looks him in the eyes, “It’s bound to happen, sorry. But watch where you’re throwing that fist, you wouldn’t want to disappoint your dad. He’d never forgive you if something were to happen to my balls,” Billy joked.

"You overestimate yourself too much, old man.” Ellis mumbled while shaking his head, he turned his baseball cap backwards to have a better view of the entire space in front of him, they weren’t pro players but everytime he would play with his dad things would get quite serious pretty fast, neither of them liked to lose, and baseball was their favorite game so of course Ellis wanted to prove him that he’s the best, even tho he’s quite ok with losing to his dad. “Have anyone ever told you that you complain like my dad?” He made a joke as Billy threw him the glove. As Ellis picked the ball and went back to his position, he could notice his dad wasn’t at his best anymore, he wouldn’t take advantage of that, but his age was little by little starting to be more present on their games. “Why the most pretty flowers always are the hardest ones to take care? Like... look at coneflowers, they’re super easy but ugly as fuck that’s why we sell them on a bouquet, so they can die already and not look at them for too long.” He shrugged, Ellis didn’t had 10% of the flower knowledge that his dads had, but he knew a few things by what he would see. “Can we please not talk about your balls and what dad wants to do with them? I really don’t want to start going to family therapy.”