Time - (Identity V-Elisop)

Chapter 3

"What?"

Aesop didn't know how to react. He tried not to show how dejected and hurt he felt. He knew it wasn't his business about his friend's love life.

It just hurt more knowing he loved that friend for more than a year. Loved that friend more than a friend, loved that friend as what he wished to be his lover.

"I'm sorry..." Eli saw the change in mood on Aesop's face, his pale face with eyebags and a gentle blush on his nose and cheeks, lit up by the moonlight and covered by his silver hair he didn't tie up this time.

He looked pretty, somehow even prettier in the moonlight. He could admit that.

"What are you sorry for?" Aesop spoke up suddenly. He turned his head away from Eli and he couldn't see his face anymore.

"Well I suppose you seem mad...or upset I can't tell really..." Eli spoke softly.

Aesop felt bad. He didn't want to give off Eli such a bad impression. He knew coming to tell someone about such feelings is easier said than done.

"What? No, I'm not mad...just surprised.." Aesop's voice trailed off towards the end of that sentence. He was certainly surprised to say the least.

He saw the interactions those two had, but never thought one would like the other in such a manner.

He wouldn't discourage it, he wasn't a bad person.

"Well, I suppose you could try and get closer with him."

He wasn't particularly an expert in the subject of love and relationships. But if Eli needed advice he would certainly try and give him some decent help.

"And just hang out with him more, during matches maybe decode with him or try and assist with him"

Eli was more relaxed in his seat, and the moonlight covered his face in what could be considered a gentle way. He looked absolutely breath-taking, especially in the silver moonlight.

He noticed how even though he looked tired beyond belief he listened attentively, his blindfold was still on, he never really took it off. He probably wore it while sleeping.

Aesop's usual face mask was still on. He didn't sleep with it on, but after he heard the knock on the door he put it on again. Only Emily saw him without it when she was healing him, but that was a one time thing.

He noticed how tired Eli looked, like he was going to fall asleep but couldn't.

"You look really tired, do want me to help you go back to your-"

Aesop cut himself off when he saw Eli was now asleep, he still looked pretty even while he slept. Taking him back to his room would be a hassle, his room was two floors down after all, and he didn't want to wake him since he had trouble sleeping recently.

He shifted Eli slightly so he was now lying in bed properly and he put the covers on him. Aesop lied down next to Eli, he turned around to face him.

He looked so pretty, it hurt. His heart ached for him so bad. If Naib did like Eli back, Eli would probably be so happy.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Eli say something.

"Thanks, Aesop...and sorry"

That was all Eli said before he fell back to sleep, he looked so peaceful.

When Aesop was sure Eli was asleep, he carefully removed his mask, making sure not to wake Eli. He put it on his desk which wasn't far, right up against his bed.

Something in the back of his mind tempted him to remove Eli's blindfold. He didn't of course. He wasn't such a person.

He lay in bed peacefully, the most calm he had been in a while. He could feel himself drift from reality as he finally fell asleep.

_____________________________

Aesop woke up early, earlier than Eli at least. At first he forgot what happened last night, and was very startled when he saw Eli sleeping beside him, to say the least.

He didn't want to get up, getting to fall asleep with the one person you love more than anything in the world wasn't a common occurrence.

He reached for his mask on his desk and put it on before closing his eyes again. The window was left open a crack, the sun was filtering through the curtains he had drawn and the sunlight was over the bed he and Eli were in.

5 minutes later, Aesop could hear Eli stir and wake up. He turned to face him awkwardly, "Morning...".

Eli was confused why he was next to Aesop, and why he was in his room for the matter. Then he remembered last night, when he told him he was interested in Naib and he fell asleep. Something about Aesop's reaction, he seemed somewhat upset.

He didn't ponder on it for long, he noticed he still had his blindfold on, usually he took it off to sleep. Aesop seemed to sleep with his mask as well, he could remember seeing him take it off before he fell asleep, after he thanked him. His mind could have been playing tricks on him.

Eli sat up, Aesop had his mask on, he must have slept in it.

"Morning, slept good?" Eli asked innocently.

"Surprisingly well" Aesop admitted.

"We should probably get to breakfast before someone walks in like Emma" Eli mentioned,"We don't want some rumours starting claiming we're together, you know?"

Secretly, Aesop wished rumours like those were true, that he could actually be with him and love him to his fullest.

"Oh it's fine, its really early, 6 AM actually" He said mindlessly, he wanted to cherish the moments he was with Eli alone.

While he thought nobody would come, Aesop was wrong. He was having a conversation with Eli when a knock on the door scared him.

"Aesop, are you in there with someone?" It was Emily, she was probably coming to ask him if he wanted to have breakfast early, he didn't like being with the whole manor at once, or at least all the other survivors.

Emily let him go down and eat early usually, a good way to avoid everyone and still eat properly. He woke up early because he was used to it and so did a few other people including Emily, but he rarely ever ran into them.

"What? No, I'm in here alone, why you asking?" Aesop panicked, he hushed Eli and tried his best to not show it in his voice.

"Right okay, do you want to come down in a few minutes or?" She continued.

"I'll be down in 10 minutes" He answered as he heard her leave down the stairs.

After she was gone down the stairs, he and Eli erupted into a fit of laughter and giggles.