Master, my Master | boyxboy | [alternate happy ending]

XVI - Lonely Road

"Doesn't it all sound utterly perfect?" Jasper asked.

He'd just finished explaining to Eli the whole plan he and Darcy had in mind. Needless to say, Eli, although attentive and understanding throughout the explanation, didn't look too convinced about the idea.

"Don't get me wrong," Eli said, he was on his hands and knees trying to get all the mud he'd tracked in off the floor. "I am all for getting away from everything in this wretched region, but you can't forget that we are still here. I identify with your anticipations, see how your smile grows merely speaking of this arrangement, I understand all of that, but your quick merriment makes me nervous."

Jasper, dressed regally and seated on the bed watching Eli, huffed. "But it can work, Elijah, I just know it can. Sure, Lady Darcy will have the 'rightful' title as my lover, but once all of us are on our own, everything will fall into place. I just know it'll work, Elijah."

Bringing himself from the floor, Eli strolled to the bathroom to rinse the soiled cloth he'd been using in a water basin. "I just don't know," he admitted, sluggishly.

Jasper hopped off the large bed and started after Eli, "What happened to what you said the night my father purposed I marry? Huh?" When Eli leaned back against the sink and folded his arms, Jasper continued, "You said you like to be hopeful, essentially that no matter what, you have hope that we can make it in this world. Where on Earth has your hope gone, because I'm beginning to think I am the only one who has it right now?"

Eli didn't respond.

He stared down at the white tiles of the floor, his thoughts consuming him as they've been doing so for the past two days. Sure he liked to be hopeful in the idea that he and Jasper could get away, could simply travel whatever distance was necessary to become invisible to this blind and cruel world, but now he wasn't sure if even distance could assist.

Thinking of how Silas' father thought distance would help, corrupted how Eli saw the outcome of this secret affair. Maybe he'd have jumped at the pitch a couple days ago, but his stance on everything was promptly changing. Who's to say no one would find out about a house miles away lived in by...what had Silas said...sodomites? And then what happens next? A raid on the house, him being dragged to the rope, and not only him, but even timorous and cautious Juliette would suffer something given her relationship with Darcy.

Eli would die for Jasper in a heartbeat, would string his neck himself if he had too, but for as long as possible he wanted to stray from that. He would prolong meeting his maker until Death came knocking.

"Elijah," Jasper's voice brought him back to focus, "You look terribly bothered. Does this plan sound that irrational? Am I a fool to think we could do this?"

"No, no, of course not. It's just," he sighed, this was a good a time as any he guessed, and one way or another Jasper needed to know. After guiding them back to the bed, they sat down. "There is something I need to tell you as well," Eli sounded as though struggling with the topic he was bringing up.

Sitting patiently, Jasper couldn't help but be nervous about what Eli seemed too frightened to say. "Aren't you going to tell me?" Jasper questioned when a second passed into a minute.

"I love someone else..."

Jasper sprang to his feet, "What!?" he hissed in a whisper.

At the blonde boy's fierce reaction, Eli caught what he'd said, and cursed. "I should've worded that differently."

"Elijah," Jasper was already shaking, his voice and hands evenly tense, eyes wide in distress, "You have one second to tell me you're lying."

Alright, sitting down was a bad idea. Eli now stood, gesturing as though he were surrendering to something. "I am," he shook his head, "I mean, no, I'm not. Dammit, I'm not saying this right–."