Chapter Text
Matt was ignoring him today. Actually, Matt had been ignoring him since the beginning of this week – and it was almost Friday! Ever since Elijah got stuck on that roof, Matt has seemed a little…. off. Matt was usually pretty quiet when they were working, but this week, he’d been basically mute. They'd already been riding in the van for 20 minutes and Matt hadn't said a word. No matter how many movie posters, or weird bumper stickers, or homeless people Elijah pointed out, Matt didn't respond. Was Matt mad at him? As far as Elijah knows, he hasn't done anything wrong. Elijah was talking nonstop, but Matt only spared a quick glance at whatever Elijah was talking about, then just as quickly looked away.
They pulled up to the clients house and parked the van. Matt hopped out, Elijah followed closely behind him. Matt greeted the customers and did all the ‘formalitys’ stuff that Elijah wasn't allowed to do. Elijah stood off to the side, humming to himself as he waited. As soon as Matt finished saying his goodbyes to the customers, he turned to address Elijah. “Alright, listen Elijah. I know this house has a nice view, but I need you to stay on task. If I wanted to do this by myself I wouldn't have brought you along.”
“Wait. You want me here? You want me to work with you?”
“Well I wouldn't say I want you here. But having two people does help the work get done quicker.”
“Wait, wait, Matt. You think I'm quick?”
“Not really. Working with you is maybe like…” Matt thought about it for a bit. “like five percent faster than working on my own.”
“Five percent! Does that mean I'm five percent faster than you?”
“What? No?”
“Well you said that working with me is five percent faster than working with yourself which means I'm 'Matt percent’ fast, plus five. I'm one-hundred and five percent fast.”
“Thats-” Matt sighed. “I'm not even going to try to correct you. But that is not what I was trying to say. That’s not even mathematically correct.”
“I think it is. See, if you work-”
“Shhh! Elijah! I'm not going to talk about this with you right now. We're done! Conversation over! Now come on, we've got work to do.” Matt spun around and marched off toward the gated backyard. Elijah watched him go while thinking about the conversation they just had. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. ‘Wait a minute’ he thought ‘Matt would like it if I was super good at my job. Matt wants me to be faster like him. He wants me to be helpful. Matt can't be mad at me anymore if he is so happy about how good of an employee I am! ’ Elijah smiled to himself, impressed by his own amazing idea. Matt was going to be so happy. He was going to praise him. Elijah's gonna do such a good job today that maybe he'll get that twenty cent raise and buy a window of his own and Matt can come and clean it.
“ELIJAH!” Elijah jolted. The yell startled him from his thoughts. He looked over at Matt to see him angrily beckoning to him. Elijah ran over. Matt leaned in close to his face. “Are you serious?”
“Sorry sir.”
“I literally just told you to stay on task.”
“I know, I know. I'm sorry.”
Matt shook his head and walked up the stairs to the balcony. “Come on Elijah.” Elijah wordlessly followed.
They were on a nice wooden balcony with glass panes as railings. Elijah washed his section as quickly as possible, all while sneaking glances at Matt. Matt seemed to be in the window washing grove. He looked like he was doing perfectly fine on his own. How could Elijah find a way to help Matt? Elijah took notice of the spray bottle that Matt kept picking up and putting down. That would do. Elijah carefully set down his tools then slowly snuck up behind Matt.
Matt reached for the bottle again. His fingers just barely grazed it before Elijah swooped down and yoinked it. Matt glared up at him from where he was kneeling on the ground.
“What are you doing?”
“I'm helping. I can help. Look. Look.” Elijah sprayed a bunch of soap on the glass pane in front of him. “I can spray, and then you can squeegee."
“I already cleaned that window Elijah. And now I have to clean it a second time.”
“Oh. oh, okay well...” Elijah looked around for a window that looked visibly dirty. “How about that one?”
“No. I have not cleaned that window yet.”
“Cool! So I can just go over there and spray and you can squeegee and I can-”
“Elijah, have you finished your side yet?”
“Wha?”
“Elijah.” Matt asked sternly. “Did you finish your side before coming over here?”
“Well I- n-no.” He admitted. “I need to help you first. Team work makes the dream work, right?”
Matt stared blankly at Elijah, then he spoke. “Go finish cleaning.”
Elijah frowned but complied. He began to trudge sadly off to his side of the balcony. That is, until Matt called his name. “Elijah?” Elijah's chest filled with hope. Did Matt change his mind? Did he finally realize how useful Elijah could be?
“Yes Matt?” He responded.
Matt pointed at Elijah's hand. “Leave the bottle.”
“ah…”
Elijah set the bottle next to Matt, moped all the way to his side and got back to work. That didn't go so well, but he would have another chance. They finished the job rather quickly – tho if you ask Elijah, it could have been finished way quicker if Matt had just let him help. Elijah was thinking of all the ways he could help Matt while on the way to the next job. As they pulled up to the site, Elijah recognised the place they were at. A perfect opportunity had just presented itself. This next window was high up, which means they needed to use the ladder. As soon as the van was parked, Elijah jumped out and ran to the back. He detached the ladder from the van, set it against the wall and started to lengthen it. It was almost at full height by the time Matt exited the van.
“Wooow.” Matt mused. “You really want to get this one done and over with, don't you?”
“Matt.” Elijah pointed at the ladder. “I set up the ladder.”
“I can see that.”
“All by myself.”
“Mhm.” Matt climbed up and started cleaning. Now that Matt was on the ladder, Elijah could set his grand plan into action, surely Matt would praise him for this.
Matt expertly cleaned the window, enjoying how Elijah was being quiet for once. Maybe too quiet. Matt tried to ignore his nervousness and just enjoy the temporary silence, but his fears of Elijah running off to harass the customers got the best of him. He subtly looked around, he didn't want Elijah thinking he was concerned or something.
Matt noticed a tuft of hair in his peripheral vision. An incrediblely focused Elijah was behind him – or rather, below him – holding the ladder. “Get your hands off the ladder.”
Elijah shook his head. “nuh uh.”
“What do you mean ‘nuh uh’ let go of the ladder.”
“This is safer. This way you won't get hurt.”
“I've been doing this for twenty years, Elijah. I'll be fine.”
“You’ve been the boss for twenty years, which means you're probably like forty. You can't fall off ladders anymore or you'll have to get your hip replaced.”
Matt opened his mouth to retort but seemingly thought better of it. Instead, he furrowed his brows and pinched the bridge of his nose. Any other day, Matt would have snapped at Elijah. Any other day – maybe tomorrow – just not today.
“Matt.” Elijah pleaded. “I don't want you to get hurt.”
“Fine.” Matt huffed.
“Really!?”
“Yeah really. Just shut up and hold the ladder.”
Elijah happily obliged. The helping attempts that came after were just as successful. Matt asked for things like: the hose, the step ladder, the mop and Elijah would go retrieve them. They even washed the same window! Together! None of Elijah's plans have ever gone this well. Elijah couldn't stop himself from fidgeting the whole ride back to the parking lot. He just couldn't contain his happiness, Matt had let him help!
When they arrived, Matt put the van in park and hopped out. He unlocked the back door, swiftly removed his gear and put it away. “I gotta go to my truck real quick, I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere.”
“Okay.” Elijah rounded the van and started putting his gear away too. He was admittedly, a little slower than Matt was. Matt was always quick and efficient, especially when it was time to go home, but today… It kinda seemed like Matt was in a rush.
Just as Elijah finished packing up, he heard heavy, hurried footsteps against the concrete. He looked to where the sound was coming from. He saw Matt walking right towards him. He was carrying something.
“Here.” Matt shoved a cardboard box into Elijah's arms. Elijah stumbled backwards from the force of it. He examined the medium sized box in his hands. It was heavy.
“What's in here?” Elijah questioned.
“It-”
Elijah cut him off. “Ohh! Is it more spray bottles? Do you want me to put them in the back? I mean, it is time to go home, but I could organize the van real quick.”
“Elijah it's not-”
Elijah cut him off again. “I can do it super quick. Since I'm so good at my job and stuff. You would have to leave the keys tho. So I can like, yuno, lock up when I'm done.”
“Elijah.”
“I won't drive it! I promise. And I won't lock myself in on accident again, and I won't sleep in there either! I've learned my lesson. I swear. It would only take a few-”
“Elijah!” Matt yelled. Elijah's focus snapped to Mat instantly. Matt's eyes were closed and he was holding up his hands in that way he does when he's annoyed. Wuh oh. Elijah made him mad again. He was supposed to be the perfect employee today. Matt took a deep breath to calm himself down.
“I'm sorry.” Elijah quickly apologized. “I didn't mean to make you mad.”
“I'm not mad. Just be quiet and listen, okay?”
Elijah nodded fervently. “Okay.”
“That,” Matt pointed at the box. “Is for you.”
Elijah froze. “It- this- it's for me? Really?”
“Mhm.”
Elijah was silent for a few seconds before the widest smile spread across his face. “Matt, Matt, Matt!” Elijah excitedly bounced on his feet. “You got me a gift?! What's in it?” Elijah loudly gasped, then squeezed the box tightly. “Is it my very own step ladder? Did you get me a step ladder?”
Matt's face scrunched. “Do you really think a step ladder would fit in that box?”
“It could if you disassembled it.” It absolutely could not.
Matt sighed. “Just open it.”
For once, Elijah listened. He set the box (his present!!!) on the floor of the van and ripped it open. There was a bunch of stuff inside but the first thing he noticed was the cans. He picked one up and gasped, he turned around to show Matt. “Matt, look! It's my favorite chili. How did you know?”
Matt gave him a questioning look. “Because you told me?”
‘Wow.’ Elijah thought, ‘he actually listens when I talk!’ He put the can down and pulled out what looked to be a huge bottle of soap. Only, it wasn't the blue soap they use when washing windows. It was in a purple and white bottle and it had the word ‘lavender’ on it. “What is this?” Elijah asked.
“Oh my God.” Matthew whispered to himself. “You don't even know what- It's body wash Elijah.”
“Body wash?”
“Mhm. You use it to get clean in the shower. And when you're done you'll smell like flowers.”
Elijah giggled. “You rhymed, did- did you hear it? Get in the shower, smell like flowers. Flower, shower? Do you hear it?”
Usually Matt would sigh or scoff but today he just nodded. Elijah noticed one more item nestled within the cans. There was a handheld squeegee sitting at the bottom of the box. He grabbed the squeegee and rolled it around in his hand. He noticed something on the handle and leaned in to take a closer look… It was his name. His name was engraved on his squeegee. Matt engraved his name on his new squeegee. Elijah sniffled. Tears filled his eyes. “Can I cry a little?”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
Elijah hugged the squeegee close to his chest. “Thank you.” He whimpered.
“Yeah. You're welcome. You uh…” Matthew hesitated for a while, then he walked toward Elijah until he was standing right behind him. He reached out and patted Elijah on the back, rubbing his hand side to side between his shoulder blades. “You did a good job today.” He said awkwardly. “You do a good job everyday- most days. You're n- nn…” Matt struggled with the word, “...nice to work with.”
If Elijah's eyebrows could go up any higher they would leave his face. He turned around to look at Matt, but he was already swiftly walking away. “Matt! Mat- Mat- Mat-!” Elijah called out to him. Matthew just kept walking. If anything, he started to walk faster. “Matt! I like working with you too! I think you're nice to work with too!” Matt didn't stop or even slow down, but he did give Elijah a thumbs up.
Elijah smiled, then focused back onto his box of goodies. If Matt did all of this for just one day of good work then imagine what he would do you a week's worth. Maybe Matt would let him try the food he brings from home or maybe he would buy Elijah his very own, non-company, step ladder! At that moment, Elijah decided that he would make sure to be the most extra helpful worker this coming week – much to Matt's dismay.