♤SPRING SHIELD (MxM) ~fantasy~♤

In his defense

Elijah

"The same way,someone had offered to take care of them and it was all well until the heirs to the throne were kidnapped?"the memory flashes across my eyes. It was a dark time,they were only four years old,"Elijah,you are not protective father for nothing. That day you didn't bring them back for the cost of nothing. You were shot,"she gestures to my arm where I was shot. A phantom of the pain passes through my body like a shiver.
The bullet barely went too far but my self healing flesh,in a state of panic and confusion healed over the wound. Trapping the bullet inside me. Long story short they had to get it out somehow.
"Elijah you fought to bring them back unharmed and now you do this?"
"He was not going to harm them,mother."I plead,becoming more exhausted the more we speak over this subject,
"Maybe not them,perhaps it's you he's after."I snap my head around to find her stirring sugar into her tea gingerly,"I'm afraid the rumours were true all along,I was wrong to trust you."
"Mother-"
"Don't think to lie to me again,Elijah!"she slams her hand against the table silencing me. Perhaps our relationship isn't as good as I thought,"I know what you two have been up to,all in the name of work. What a joke."she scoffs so harshly that it burns me in way.
"We were working,what are you-"
"What am I talking about? You should ask yourself that when you were in that elevator with him. Did I raise you to do such things?"I almost hear Kristian's voice in the back of my head. 'Who could've possibly saw us?'. I forger that someone could be watching even at the tightest of closed doors. And that person is my mother.
"You watched me."I whisper towards us,my face scrunching up. I feel a little ashamed but way more betrayed,"You said you'd stop doing that-"
"You're a man of your word but I am not woman of mine,Elijah."her voice is so cold,so... detached. It hurts,a lot,"This Kristian has blinded you,no person does that without bad intentions,my son."
"Kristian is not who you think he is,mother. He sees life in a way that we can't,were never allowed to. He's taught me that it's never that complicated,it's never always about power and schemes. That things can be simple,for once."
"Simple? Nothing is simple is about you frolicking with him,Elijah."
"Mother I do not appreciate you scolding me as if I'm a child."I pullback,crossing my arms over my chest,
"I can understand why it makes you uncomfortable- ever since you were a child,you understand who you ought to be. You aimed high and never missed,I never had to scold you. That's why the chose you,Elijah! You're the best of them all."A pause as she breaths,"You're nothing like Azaar who refuses to claim his titles. Nothing like Shane who has ran thorough so many women and men alike with no shame. Nothing like Kane who spends all his honour on materialistic pleasures. That's why you lead them,my son."
My lips starts to quiver. That's not true at all. But I don't have the strength to tell her off anymore,
"... I was always afraid with such a perfect child,will the world break him and turn him into a fool when he gets curious? I was right! You've been blinded,even after everything you claim that his simplicity has enticed you?! Nothing is that easy,don't you forget that your father died because of schemes. Just like the one you're falling for now."she screams,losing her composure.
"Must you always bring father into this? MUST YOU?!"I yell back,I can take anything but dad? I want him left out of this,
"He didn't die protecting this city for you to forget that his blood,sweat and tears were meant to raise a king. A man who never forgot what he wants. Who he's doing this for. If you need me to remind you- The Lewis family name,to honour them. To honour your father."
I want to tell her I do. I try anything,everything. Just to live up to a fraction of what he did when he was alive. Honour is what I live for. I just... it felt so nice to be in his arms. It felt like finally breathing. Like I didn't have to be lonely anymore.
Is that so wrong?
"Elijah,do you truly believe that he wants nothing more from you than just love? You're not getting any younger,you're thirty two years old and unmarried. No amount of unserious relationships or whatever the bloody hell you're doing will change the fact that you haven't found your Rose. You haven't settled and he will not help-"
"Mother,I like him. Isn't that enough? My children love him more than any other woman you've introduced them to. He's pure,his smile and his laugh are genuine. I haven't met someone as caring as him in my entire life. When I'm in his arms I feel safe. He always asks me what I think what I feel. It feel seen by him,and I see him. He's my friend in more ways than one."I raise my voice. Me and my mother have had arguments,but it's never this serious.
She shakes her head at me. Disappointment. A look I'm not used to,"He's stolen you from me. From the people of this city. You've been blinded by him so badly that you- you behave like a man should on his wedding day. Tell me,Elijah,will he marry you? Is he willing?"
I stay silent. I haven't thought of that at all. And must I? I'm still learning to... love him. To show him my vulnerable side. Must I be ready to marry him? Must he be ready to be committed to me forever?
"Mother,thank you. For all of this,but I think I should leave."I say,my voice cracking as my anger is extinguished into sadness. Regret.
"...Elijah."her eyes soften as she stands there,the aftermath of burning each other with pointless words,
"Let's speak of this when we're both... not frustrated."I don't look back as I walk out the door.

___________________

The sound of me knocking into my punching bag echoes through the empty gym. Again and again,thinking back to my mother's words. All of it tainted the flow of me and Kristian. I can't think of any single interaction we've had without having it be messed up.
Our first kiss.
Our intimate touches.
Even when he climbed into my bed and turned my world upside-down.
To anyone else it seems like a scheme alright. But I know us,we're not like that. He doesn't want me for my money or my status. Heck,he doesn't even know what alot of any of that is.
Can't it just be enough?
Frustrated,I round house kick it,making it rock to the other end. The chain connecting it to the ceiling rattling,"Knockout!"I startle when I see Kristian at the door on the far end of the room,giving me a small round of applause,
He's leaning on it,still in his work clothes. An easy smile on his face.
A low whistle blow from his lips when he approaches me,"Shouldn't you be like- up on the twelfth floor doing your job? Not that I'm complaining about this view..."his fingers graze my skin,from the top of my shoulder to my elbow.
The contact sends shivers down my spine,making me smile slightly.
"You're such a pervert."
"If saying I like your body makes me a pervert. Fine then! I'm a pervert!"he puts his hands up in the air in defeat. Making me stifle a laugh,
"Shameless. How did you even know I was here?"I rip my boxing gloves off with the help of my teeth to re-wrap my knuckles,
"I asked David,he told me you might be in the company gym if you're not picking up your phone."he explains,watching me intensely. I wonder if he's thinking about our 'long' night last weekend.
Or maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm the pervert getting turned on by the way he plays with his hair,
"I see. Is someone calling me?"
"Nope,just wanted to know where you were at. You normally don't disappear like that."I make a sound finishing my wrapping and getting back to punching. "Yep,you're form could use some work."he quips,under his breath.
He knows just how to get my gears grinding.
"Do you even know how to box?"I ask,placing my hands on the bag to stop it from swinging,
"Me?"he asks with a cocky scoff,walking towards me. At full speed,he throws a punch at the center of my face,stopping just inches before he actually hits me.
I doubt that would even hurt if he went through with his bluff.
Blinking at his delicate fist in front of me,I ask,"Is that a challenge?"
"Maybe."
"Show me what you got then."