Chapter 101: Can I stay with you?
Elijah, despite the bandages constricting his movements and the pain etched on his face, attempted to rise from the bed. His grip on Ash’s hand tightened, his body tense as he struggled to get up.
"No, stop!" Ash quickly pressed his hands against Elijah’s chest, urging him to stay down. "You need to rest. Your injuries are serious."
But Elijah shook his head stubbornly, his eyes fixed on Ash’s with a familiar intensity. "No...You’ll leave if I don’t."
Ash’s heart clenched at those words, and he swallowed hard. "I’m not going anywhere," he promised. "Just...just rest, please."
Elijah looked at him for a long moment, their eyes locking again. For a second, the entire world seemed to fall away, leaving only the two of them, tethered to one another by invisible strings. The air between them feTheir hearts, though bruised and battered, were still connected—no matter how much time or distance had separated them.
"How are you?" Elijah asked softly. It was a simple question, but it carried the weight of so much more.
Ash, unable to bear the intensity of Elijah’s gaze, looked away. His heart raced uncontrollably in his chest. "I...I’m fine," he mumbled, though his voice betrayed him, cracking under the pressure.
How could he answer a question like that? How could he say he was fine when every fibre of his being had ached for Elijah during all those years apart? How could he explain the constant battle between love and guilt that had torn him apart day after day?
But Elijah wasn’t satisfied with that answer. His hand, still gripping Ash’s, squeezed tighter, forcing Ash to face him again. "Look at me," Elijah murmured, his voice gentle but insistent.