five in one bodywash shampoo moisturizer

Two days passed peacefully. Raphael was working from home, and while Elias did feel guilty for probably hindering his work, Raphael just shrugged it off whenever he mentioned it. 

Right now, though, Elias was feeling rather irritable. Why? 

Well, his hair-wash day was due. Since he kept long hair, he obviously had an equally meticulous routine and specific products for it. Neither did he have his products here, nor did he have a solution to his biggest problem—how was he supposed to wash his hair? It wasn't like he could ask his ex-boyfriend to help him wash it, not when his hands were bandaged and his ankle was twisted. Right? 

He was still debating the dilemma internally when Raphael entered the room, holding two cups of lattes. Yes, it was early morning. Since they both shared a love for unhealthy amounts of sugar in their coffee—the kind that would probably give them diabetes before forty—there was no judgment or reprimanding here. 

"Your coffee," Raphael said, nudging the chilled cup against the blonde's cheek. 

Elias huffed before taking it, grumbling, "Thanks." 

Raphael raised an eyebrow at his expression. "Why do you look like you've been severely constipated for over a month?" he asked jokingly, though his tone was gentle. He could tell the other was upset about something, but he didn't know what. 

Elias shot him a half-hearted glare before taking a sip of his drink, letting out a contented sigh. After a few more sips, his mood improved enough to talk. 

"Be honest for a second," he said seriously—very seriously—before pulling the scrunchie from his hair. "Sniff my hair." 

"...Ooh, I didn't know you were into that, Eli—" 

Before he could finish, Elias pinched his arm rather harshly. 

"Be serious!" he grumbled, his tone something he would like to consider reprimanding, though to Raphael, it just sounded whiny. 

Raphael raised his hands in surrender. "Ouch—fine, fine. I'm serious. I'm sniffing your hair, jeez. So demanding," he said in mock exasperation. 

Despite the absurdity of the request, he complied because he could see how genuinely distressed Elias was getting. Moving closer, he gently nuzzled the other's nape as he sniffed his hair. 

"It smells fine, if you ask me." 

A flush spread across Elias' cheeks. This man, seriously. How could he make even something as ridiculous as sniffing his hair feel so… ugh. Half-irritated at the effect Raphael's actions had on him and half-dissatisfied with the response—assuming the other was just being polite—he grumbled, "Be honest." He sniffed a strand himself. "It smells off to me. No need to be polite. Be your usual smartass, insufferable self, and give me your honest opinion if it stinks." 

Raphael let out a small chuckle, amused by how worked up Elias was getting. He had half a mind to exaggerate and say something extreme like how it smelled as if Elias had never showered, but looking at the genuinely troubled expression on the other's face, he didn't have the heart to. 

"Alright, well, if you want my honest opinion, it's a little bit greasy?" Honestly, it smelled fine to him. Sure, the usual scent of lavender and citrus was fainter, but it didn't smell bad at all. Still, he knew he had to say something, or Elias would just think he was lying again. "Do we really need to have this conversation?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Yes!" Elias replied, his paranoid brain finally satisfied with the response. "You might be someone who uses a five-in-one conditioner, body wash, and whatnot from Walmart or something, but I have standards. I have a routine, which I can't follow because of these damn injured hands. Hair spa, imported products, specially made formulas-" he held up a silky strand as proof. "These babies are more pampered than the damn Queen of England. So yes, we absolutely need to have this conversation." 

Raphael rolled his eyes, clearly amused but still humoring him. He made an exaggeratedly offended expression. 

"How dare you. I am deeply offended that you think I use a five-in-one body wash-shampoo-moisturizer from Walmart. obviously get mine from Target." 

If complete, pure disappointment and exasperation had a face, it would be the one Elias was making right now. 

"Okay, okay, I'll quit it," Raphael laughed. "You're absolutely ridiculous, you know that, right? Your hair is like the Crown Jewels or something, while mine is a lowly peasant, I get it. But it'll be perfectly fine if you don't wash it for a few days. Even a week," He said casually.

Elias gave him a judging look. A *very* judging look. 

"...I hope you have fun knowing that I feel appalled I used to sleep with you," he said, though there was no real heat in his tone. He knew Raphael was just teasing him. Probably. "Not washing your hair for weeks? What are you, an animal?" 

Raphael snorted, thoroughly amused by his theatrics. Shaking his head with a playful glint in his eye, he replied in a teasing tone, "Oh, come on. You're just jealous that my hair is naturally low maintenance." He ran a hand through his brown locks as if to prove a point. "And hey, you never seemed to complain about it before." 

Smirking, he added in a sultry, albeit joking, tone, "Besides, what use are your totally pampered hair if, in the end, they're just going to get pulled on by a lowly animal like myself?" 

"...Shut up!" Elias huffed, a bright red flush creeping across his pale cheeks. 

A memory suddenly re surfaced in his mind—his legs wrapped around Raphael's waist in a club bathroom, Raphael tugging on his hair to tilt his head up, his tongue mapping every inch of Elias' mouth, one hand tangled in his hair while the other slid into his pants— 

He shook his head furiously, trying to drive the vivid image away. Quickly hiding his face behind his hands, he peeked through the gaps between his fingers only to see Raphael's smug expression. 

He understood instantly.

That goddamned bastard knew exactly what he was doing.