Craving Purity

08

Levi woke up to someone knocking on his door, and his gut tightened. He remembered the night before and realized that Elijah and Greyson must be outside his door. They said they were taking him out to breakfast, and he was too panicked and emotional to say no.

"Levi!" Elijah's voice called through the door. "Are you asleep or just ignoring us?!"

Pushing his tattered sheet off, Levi ran over to the door and opened it a couple of inches.

"Sorry, I just woke up," he said, not looking into either Greyson or Elijah's eyes. "Uh... I need to get dressed."

"You don't have to wear anything," Elijah said, his eyes looking up and down the parts of Levi that he could see.

Greyson sighed loudly. "Elijah, leave him alone," he scolded. "Do you want us to wait in the car or can we come in?"

Levi knew his house was a cluttered mess and there were random blades and knives all over that would catch their attention. The last thing Levi wanted was pity for the choices he made and things he'd done to himself.

"Could you wait in the car?" he asked, and while Elijah narrowed his eyes in suspicion, he sighed and turned away.

Greyson followed right behind him.

Levi tugged on his favorite long sleeve and a pair of his nicer jeans, hoping that Greyson wouldn't bring up the cuts he probably saw the night before. Before he left, Levi grabbed the jacket Greyson let him use and locked his door, finding the car right in front of his apartment.

The car was already running, with Elijah humming in the passenger seat and Greyson in the driver's.

Levi climbed in the car, buckling in and lowering his head, playing with his fingers.

"I brought your jacket back," Levi said after a few seconds of silence, surprised that Elijah wasn't already running his mouth. "Thanks for letting me use it."

Greyson smiled and looked into the rear view mirror so he could see Levi. "You can hold onto it if you want," he said, catching a glance of the blush on Levi's face. "It looks better on you than it does on me, anyway."

"Are you two always this flirtatious?" Levi asked, making Elijah giggle and a small smile tug on Greyson's lips.

"Only with each other and you," Elijah said, turning around and reaching out his hand for Levi, frowning when he was ignored. "I told you that we're soulmates, so I won't flirt with anyone but you and Greyson."

Levi bit his lip, as he usually did when he was nervous, not realizing how hot Elijah found it. "I don't know what you mean," Levi said, eyes still on his fingers. "People don't have soulmates. We can't just tell which person is meant for us."

Elijah made eye contact with Greyson, silently begging him to allow Elijah to tell Levi who they really were.

Greyson shook his head. "Wait until we're all sitting down at breakfast," he said, reaching over and taking Elijah's hand in his own. "You'll understand soon, Levi."

Levi didn't know how to respond, so he just nodded and looked out the window.

•••

The cafe they entered was mostly empty, and Greyson quickly ushered his boys, well his boyfriend and boy he was trying to seduce, to a table in the corner.

Elijah ordered for everyone, both drinks and food, before setting down the menus and staring at Levi, who was sitting across from Greyson and Elijah.