Jester (Man x Man) ✔

8) t r o u b l e s

Eli had to grit his teeth to not cry out, when another punch thudded on his nose. Someone was holding him up against a brick wall, while the blonde man was giving a speech. It had something to do with the consequences — they all sounded equally violent — of not holding his part of the deal. 

Eli had a hard time focusing on the man's words, though, when he was trying to ward off the punches. There were black spots consuming his sight and his eyes watered from the blow his nose had gotten. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take it, at least without making any loud complaints.

Luckily Eli didn't have to find out, because the man let go of his collar and he slumped to sit on the ground.

"You're lucky we're on schedule." The blonde shrugged, giving Eli a crooked grin. As they started to retreat, he added: "Don't be late next time."

If there is ever going to be one, Eli thought. He hissed as he touched the corner of his eye slightly, his fingertips turning crimson. When he staggered up to his feet, he was panting and groaning in pain. In movies the bad guys had guns and they cut off fingers, so what was a couple of bruises and a bloody nose compared to that?

"Boy, is everything okay?" An old man, his face wrinkled and thinning hair white as snow, asked when Eli staggered by.

"You should see the other guy." Eli joked, but as he saw the man's horrified expression, he continued: "Just kidding. I tripped, but don't worry, I'm fine." 

Then he continued slouching towards Benjamin's apartment house. Eli wasn't sure why his legs guided him there, when it would have been smarter to go home. Benjamin was going to freak out, undoubtedly. But his place was closer and all Eli wanted to do was to lay down. He rang the buzzer and soon enough the door opened. 

Eli leaned his back against the wall in the elevator, taking a quick glance at his reflection from the mirrored wall opposite him. There was blood dripping from a cut on top of his eyebrow and more crimson coated his lips and chin, but the nosebleed had already ceased at least. Eli tried to swipe away some of the blood with the sleeve of his leather jacket, but without water and paper there wasn't much he could do.

Was it too late to turn already? Eli pressed the button that would take him back to the street level, painfully aware the elevator would take him to the 11th floor first. When the sliding doors opened, he could see Benjamin peeking out from the chink of his door. His black eyes widened in a way Eli was worried they would pop out of his head. 

"What the fuck, Eli?" Benjamin gaped, loping to him. Then his hand was on Eli's chin, estimating the damage. He pulled Eli off the elevator and into his apartment. 

"Sit down. Let me take care of this." Benjamin decided then and Eli obediently sat on his couch. He wanted to lie down, but he was afraid he would smudge the white couch with blood in the process. 

Then Benjamin was back and he cleaned and patched up Eli's bruises with such care, Eli needed to make an obligatory ouch-complaint only once. As Benjamin didn't talk, Eli's thoughts wandered to a memory of his mom. 

He thought about the softness of her hands and the focused look in her eyes when she changed the dressing from his knee to a clean one. That time Aada hadn't scolded him about being careless, like she had done all the previous times she had cleaned the wound. She had known that kids tend to get in trouble, especially active kids like Eli was. When she had been done, she had kissed Eli's forehead and told him to go find his siblings. Always them, never his dad.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?" Benjamin lifted his eyebrows expectantly.

Eli didn't talk for a moment. He was thinking how he was never supposed to bother his dad when he was working, and the pained expression on his face if he did. Johannes didn't have to say it out loud, because just one gaze of his green eyes was enough to tell..

"I'm trouble." Eli shrugged, avoiding Benjamin's gaze. He laid down on his back and closed his eyes. 

"Still want me to stay?" He added then, realising that was the reason he had come back. Eli had wanted to scare Benjamin off. Or well, scaring him off was probably the last thing he really wanted, but a part of him thought it would be better. Smarter. Safer.

"Yes. In fact, if someone is out to get you, I'm even more reluctant to let you leave." Benjamin sighed, lifting Eli's head so that he could sit down and lay it on his lap. Eli opened his eyes and stared at the serious expression in Benjamin's black eyes.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily." Benjamin swore and lifted his hand to stroke Eli's hair. "Let's just finish that series, okay?"

••••

Somehow one night turned to two nights. Eli tried not to think about it too much, he just went with the flow. They had binge-watched Squid Game and then watched a couple of episodes of a series called You. At some point they dozed off and moved to bed on the quiet, leaving Eli to wake up from Benjamin's embrace again. Before Eli had to leave for work, they had had sex, a quick shower and breakfast. What more could a man possibly need? Well, many things, but if you asked Eli he couldn't think of a better way to start a day. 

It was still early when they walked in the busy streets, halting in front of the small convenience store. Benjamin had stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jacket, looking illicitly good with his black hair ruffled up from the wind. It took everything from Eli to not lean in and kiss him breathless. 

"There's like a million things I'd like to do to you right now, handsome." Eli teased with an askew grin, but one look to his side was enough to stop him from doing so. "But I can't do any of those when Mr. Kaplan is staring at us."

"He seems like a real charmer." Benjamin glanced at Mr. Kaplan, who was indeed glaring at them through the windowed facade of the convenience store. 

"I think he just needs one more reason and I'm dead and buried." Eli snorted, only half-joking. Then he nudged Benjamin's shoulder and murmured: "I should go now. Thanks for the bandages and.. all."

"I'd tell you to stay out of trouble, but I'm pretty sure you don't know how to." Benjamin chuckled and turned to leave. He too was about to be late from work. 

Only when Benjamin was gone and Mr. Kaplan had given him a harangue about the bruises that would scare off customers, Eli let the reality sink in. What the hell was he doing? Staying for two nights, playing home and being walked to work was dangerously close to catching feelings and settling down. 

On the lunch break Eli checked his phone while munching dry bread and gulping it down with soda. One part of the reality was that he was broke, and he wouldn't be able to pay back for all the food Benjamin had ordered for them. Let alone buy anything proper to fill his stomach with, not until he'd see Logan again. If he still wanted to help Eli after his howler on Saturday..

There was a text from Benjamin and seeing his name on the screen filled Eli's stomach with a strange fluttering sensation. For whatever reason. 

Benjamin: You forgot your key. Want me to bring it to you?

Eli typed: No need, I have a spare.

Benjamin's answer came before Eli could even set down the phone: Ofc you do. 

Then another: Want to see some other day then? I'll give you the key.

Eli typed: Sure.

No matter the nagging fear or how huge a risk he was taking, he knew he was going to see Benjamin again. Whatever it was about the raven haired guy, Eli just couldn't stay away. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to.