♤SPRING SHIELD (MxM) ~fantasy~♤

Flash back

Elijah

"Are we okay now? Can I leave?"I ask him,my shoulder leaning on the wall next to the door watching him take off his shoes,
"Are you even legally allowed to drive?"
"It doesn't matter,Kristian. I'm going home."
"Imagine if your children heard you tossing caution to the side?"
"Don't you bring my kids into this,I'm warning you."I say,going closer making sure he gets the message.
"Don't warn me,if you have a right over me as much as you do over me. If you were here first then so was I."he quips just like I knew he would. I was hoping he just kept quiet and let me go. Let it slide. Maybe talk about it tomorrow. I feel like I'm going to collapse right about now.
"Kristian."
"You have to tell me what you meant. I'm confused,I deserve to know."
"No you don't! This is my problem not yours! I'll handle it because I'm ashamed that I ever told you any of that-"
"But it has everything to do with me!"
"Yeah,you're right. But if I hadn't opened my mouth you wouldn't have ever known. What more do you want from me!?"I yell flailing my arms around the small hall that's infront  of his door. Just about as thin as the patience I have left,
"I'm sorry that I don't want you making my life harder,because overnight a whole city hates me because I'm getting too close to their golden boy. Sorry that I saw some drawing that never existed in your notebook of me nearly half naked!"he looks like sanity is slipping away from him,he's not looking at me anymore his eyes are wandering around and tears are around the corner.
"Why would that matter? We talked-"
"Yeah! We talked about it I said sorry but you changed. Like you couldn't imagine how gross I was for thinking that. And I had a hallucination,a part of diagnosis,if I have a hallucination then I'm not getting better,Lewis! It means I came to this damn city and people hate me for nothing."
Holding both of the temples of his head he paces back and forth. "It didn't think it mattered,I didn't know you were still thinking about it,"
"Aren't you?"
"... Kristian. You're getting better. I promise you,you are and-"
"How do you know that?"he snaps back and I walk over,locking my hands around his shoulders and hold him in place,
"I do. I made you believe you didn't see it because I put a spell on you."
We share glances at each other. And I'm sure the both of us are rethinking all our life choices.
"... you lied."he whispers,
"I can explain."I plead helplessly and he pushes out of my grip,
"You lied to me and I thought I was crazy!"
"I apologise,I didn't think it would mean anything and I was ashamed. I felt like... an embarrassment,Kristian. I should've never ever drawn that photo,so I thought maybe I can get rid of it. Make sure it never existed,make it right. I didn't think that it would ruin you... I'm so sorry."I say putting my hands up in defeat and he looks at me with betrayal in his eyes,
"Why didn't you just say that? Why did you lie?"he asks me,
"Because... I was just so- so humiliated in what I felt for you. But not anymore I can make it go away,like it never happened. Just like that drawing."
"What if we can't?"
"We have to. This... there's nothing to entertain here."in the silence he starts to cover his face and sniffle and-
He's crying. Oh dear Lyria he's crying. "Are you-"he runs away before I can finish into his restroom. I follow him and stop half way. I don't even know how to comfort someone whose crying.
Normally when anyway Shane or Azaar is mad they either isolate or break things. Not sob. I can comfort a crying child or baby but not-
"Kristian,stop,crying."he ignores me and keeps crying even after he just washed his face,"Kristian,"I warn handing him my handkerchief,
"Did you just give me your dirty hanky?"
"I don't even get colds. Like ever. Just-"I don't get to finish my sentence before he blows into it,"Red,please,please stop crying. I'm begging you."
"I'm not crying because of you-"
"Okay,fine. I believe you just,stop."
He keeps crying for a minute before washing his face again and wrapping his arms around my torso. I know I shouldn't. I know I should tell him I want to go home. But I pull him closer and hug him.
We stay like that for a long time. Embracing each other and being confused.

________________

Kristian

"Shane,hi? You called from Elijah's phone,actually."I ask shaking his hand and he looks at me and sighs,
"Yeah,you might call this abandoning you with a man child but I'm too tired for this."he says walking inside and I follow him in. It's the weekend and I got a call this morning from Elijah's number and a totally different voice picked up.
Shane Lee.
I got dressed hurriedly because he said it was an emergency. I look like a mess and I don't even know why I'm here. I shouldn't be here,worrying about him at all.
But I am anyway.
"What's the problem?"
"He won't sleep."sounds about right.
"I'm confused,isn't that his problem if he's going into his usual habits?"
"Yeah but here's the thing. Last night we were being chasing a dark creature and we ran more than a thousand meters. He also used his powers way too much."he explains leading me into the kitchen counter where Elijah is with his head in his hands and his eyes closed.
"So,why isn't he resting?"
"Last night when he over exerted himself he went into something known as over drive mode,its a level of power usage where the user can ignore limits for a while."
I walk up to Elijah. And wave my hand across his face only to get no reaction. "But when it's over they can't seem to get out of it. You know what a blackout is?"
"No."I say,worried that he would do that to himself and feeling bad that I tricked him last night. I go to the water jug and warm water to mix with honey,its a pretty good remedy for fatigue.
"It's when an avatar overuses their abilities and afterwards they blackout,falling into a deep and long sleep. Normally it only lasts for a little over twenty four hours but if Elijah keeps this up he can go to sleep... for months."
"Months? It was just a day of work how could-"
"Yeah well listen. When we use our powers it's like running multiple marathons. It's exhausting."he tells me,"Watch this."he snaps his fingers in front of Elijah and he wakes up out of nowhere with force. "He looks like he's sleeping but he's only half assing it."
"Shane,can you stop,yelling? Please?"he says pinching the bridge of his nose,
"Here,"I say giving him the glass of honey water,
"Thank you,"he says before looking up at me and stopping. He groans,"Oh,don't tell me you called him here."he frowns at Shane and he just stares,
"Elijah,everyone else is checked out. Rowin got a rebar stuck in his back,Azaar,Jonah are all sleeping to blow off some steam. And you want to know what I'd rather be doing? In bed,resting. How did you think I felt when you called me saying you didn't even have enough strength to step out of your car?"
"Can you not embarrass me in front of my subordinate?"
"Can you not be a man child and take melatonin for the sake of Lyria."
"Melatonin?"I ask,looking at the both of them,
"Yeah,but he doesn't want to take it. It's the antidote from overdrive works like a charm,the only side effect is that he'll fall asleep for a longer period."
"I understand why you don't want to do this,Lewis but you have to. It's for your own good."
"Kristian,you should leave."
"I don't think I should,"without warning he gets up from his chair and walks up the stairs,then we hear sounds of him vomiting. "Is that... normal?"
"Yeah,I'm not doing this."Shane starts to leave and I panic,grabbing his hand,
"But I don't- you can't just."
"Listen guy with autumn on his head,I'm going to leave unless you want two men in comas in your care. Summon whatever magic you guys have going on and cure the man."then he walks out. Just like that.
And from a flight of stairs I hear Elijah throw up again.
"Where are the kids?"I ask once I get Lewis in his bed sitting against the head board. He's running a fever and might vomit any time soon,
"I dropped them off at my mother place this morning."his voice has never sounded this small and hoarse before,"Did that bastard really leave?"he asks me,anger evident,
"Yes,he did. Honestly I might too,you don't want help."
"Okay,if you had taken care of the guy when he was on his death bed you would understand how I feel right now."
"I'm sure you feel terrible,Lewis. But why don't you take a gummy-"he immediately tilts his head away when I put the melatonin gummy next to his mouth. "Lewis."
"I might never wake up if I take that-"
"Same thing happens if you don't."
"Kristian,you don't understand the complexities of the superhuman autonomy of an avatar."
"Of course I don't,"I say putting the back of my palm against his head,to check for fever. The skin there has become incredibly tender after Elijah healed me. Soft and bouncy,it also looks dewy.
"How are your hands?"he asks,almost like he can read my mind,
"Worry about yourself,sir."
"Again with the sir thing?"he chuckles,a small smile on his face,
"Yeah,actually a few weeks ago I had a dream about you-"I reach for the big glass mug with honey water in it,"When you wake up I'll tell you about it."
Startled,he looks at me then the cup with suspicion."it's just honey water."I roll my eyes when he finally takes it and sips it.
I never thought that I'd see Elijah in such a vulnerable state. He always seemed so indestructible and powerful. Never too tired for anything,full of work ethic. But now he's in a bed nursing his fatigue and refusing to take his medication.
It makes him more human to me in more way than one. That he also needs help sometimes.
"Thank you for coming,Kristian. It means a lot."slowly he gets cozy and his eyes start to drop,like they might just be the heaviest things on the planet.
"No problem,"I watch him drift away knowing that there was more than just honey in that water.