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Part Eleven

   "...and so I made my account because of what she told me, and made a bunch of new followers in, like, two days straight. So I kept making videos because, personally, I thought they were hilarious, but I started getting haters for some reason or another, which was ridiculous because all I wanted to do was make people laugh, you know? Anyways, that's why I made my account, and believe it or not, I still have it to this day. I know, like a whole two years and I haven't even deleted it yet! It's crazy, but I have a bunch of followers still and sometimes I get people to ask me for sponsors, which I due a lot more than people realize because it's literally free money-"

   Sam watched Elijah speak to him with complete awe on his face. If he had any less control over his expressions, he might've even started to drool as a result. As it was, he sat on Eli's hand while he rambled on, never stopping for so much as a breath while he continued to talk.
   'He's trying to make me feel comfortable', Sam realized with a jolt. 'He wants me to feel safe in his presence.'
   And Sam appreciated that, he honest to God did, but after a while, it just felt like stalling for the inevitable. Not to mention, the way Eli was speaking to him, rather than down to him, only furthered his need to burrow into Elijah's hand and stay there with his friends for the rest of the growing dusk.
   Elijah didn't stop talking even as the outdoor lights blinked on and flooded in through the windows, making a hardly noticeable impact on those still watching Sam's small body as he yawned.

   Skip didn't want to admit it was an almost adorable sight to behold.

   "So then, I made one video after a few months of having my account, right? And these two idiots literally DM'd me to tell me they wanted to be my friend or whatever, and at the time I wasn't that famous, so I said sure and was added to the group chat with them. It was pretty cool at first, but then Skip started to get real mean to me because he's a complete asshole- OH! I never introduced them! Okay, the two sitting next to me are Skip and Leo. Skip's real name is Zeke, but we never call him that because he doesn't like to be called Zeke..."

   While Elijah listed off the names of his friends without pointing to either of them in order to differentiate, Sam turned to acknowledge the fact that he knew who Eli was speaking about.

   Leo heard his name being called, though Eli seemed to skip over the introductions completely and let the boy decide for himself.

   However, something much more strange happened.

   As soon as Eli called Skip's name, the small kid in his palms turned his head to Skip's body. As if he knew who he was talking about from the start.
   Leo's name was mentioned, and the boy met his eyes.

And Leo felt the toaster go off with the ding he wasn't ready for.

   Because the tiny person amongst them knew who he was, and knew with such a burning knowledge in his minuscule eyes that Leo nearly leaped back with a yelp.
   Because he looked at Leo with familiarity, like a long-lost friend, and Leo couldn't remember him. It was a sad fire burning into Leo's gaze, begging him to realize, and yet afraid of what might happen if he did.
   Because the only person missing from their friend group was Sam, who hadn't responded to any of his texts last night or the day previous. Sam didn't reply except for two words that echoed in his brain like he was made entirely of a tunnel, repeating the same phrase over and over and over and-

I'm coming.

   And Leo practically ripped out his phone to view the profile picture of Sam's contact information. The blurry, pixelated mess that displayed ebony hair, elvish features, and skin as pale as snow in the flash of the phone. A phone that couldn't focus if the individual taking the picture was too small to recognize at such a short distance.
   Because the tiny person sitting on Elijah's palm was not a stranger, nor was he human.