A Man for Himself (Norton X Eli) [Identity V] *UNEDITED*

Chapter 27 - Sparrow

"Eli, don't you hate me for all the things that I did to you?" Norton muttered, eyes focused on a spot on the wall.

After a few minutes of convincing himself that Eli lying down next to him was not a reason to be agitated, Norton was finally able to relax and breathe evenly.

His calloused hand continued to feel for Eli's hand on his chest until it eventually focused on the ring, thumbing it. Knowing that Eli never took off his engagement ring brought Norton back to the reality that the seemingly fragile yet strong oracle was engaged to someone outside and had been dedicated to that person ever since. It's a reminder that Eli would never belong to him. That was unless Eli decided to free himself from his sinking relationship with his fiancée.

A few minutes passed, yet there was no response from Eli. Norton figured that the seer had already fallen asleep. It's either that or Eli did not want to talk about it.

Norton waited for a little longer until he decided to close his eyes and drop the subject. That's when he felt warm breath against the back of his neck, making a shiver run down his spine.

"Hatred is a strong emotion. I do not wish to burden myself with it," the seer whispered rather ominously. "I believe in the law of nature. What goes around comes around."

"That's a fancy way of telling me that you hate me," Norton replied jokingly. "Understandable."

"Norton..." breathed a whispy voice in his ear. It was too close. Then, he felt teeth lightly graze his earlobe. "If I hated you, I would've already killed you."

Norton's eyes shot open. Is the one speaking Eli Clark?

He heard the seer's soft chuckle. He rarely witnessed Eli display such a mood, much less sound so grim.

"Go to sleep, gealbhan," came Eli's soft voice yet again. "Tomorrow will be a long day."

Norton wanted to ask the meaning behind Eli's word as it obviously did not sound English; but he figured it was already late, so he decided to let it rest and continue the conversation on the next day. That's if Norton would be able to talk to Eli. He doubted he would have the luxury to spend time like this with the seer again once the sun was up.

With that in mind, Norton considered taking his chance on Eli. He could easily ravish the seer in such a vulnerable state, but he remembered that he had sworn to Eli that he wouldn't do anything to him tonight. It's a promise, and knowing himself, he's not that bad at keeping promises.

For the first time since the mining accident, Norton had a peaceful sleep. In fact, he had a peculiarly nice dream. It was a dream so domesticated he knew it would never happen in reality.

Norton was inside a house, specifically, in a small yet cozy dining room. Natural light flooded through the square window above the sink, bathing the room with comforting warmth. On the other side of the room, the door to the backyard was open. It was a light green door against a white wall.

He could hear birds chirping outside, the rustle of the leaves. It was a peaceful sound. Inside the chamber, Norton let his eyes wander around, admiring the woodwork of the cupboards and shelves. There were apparatuses on the counter that Norton had never seen before.

Was that a glass pitcher with blade inside?

Everything looked advanced. Examining closely, they did not seem to fit the technology of their current timeline. They didn't seem to rely on steam or coal or firewood.

Then, there was Eli Clark.

Eli was sitting across from him at a small wooden table. The brunet's hair was tousled, suggesting that he just got up from bed. He had his knees pulled up to his chest, trying to make himself small and fit on the wooden chair. In his hands was a steaming cup of coffee. He was holding it close to his lips while trying to suppress his giggles. His clothes were a simple combination of loose white shirt and shorts as if he's ready to spend the day indoors.