31; when fear rules you

Just to Clarify; the sun shines brightly all weekend. Elias takes it as a good omen to go on with his plans. Bella, on the other hand, can't be swayed so easily.

"I don't feel too good about this," she pants harshly, swatting a low hanging tree branch away from her face as they walk.

The forest is alive that morning, plush in shades of green and brown with streams of light bellowing down the thick covering of trees. Elias, for the first time in weeks, doesn't feel tired. He feels excited- it powers him through him like gasoline in a car.

"It's just a little fire, no biggie," Elias encourages, bouncing lithely over a rocky path in his way. The insides of a red backpack resting over his shoulder makes a clinking sound, reminding him of his goal. Without thinking, he quickens his steps.

"Sometimes, fire scares people. We're not all like you," Bella hurries to catch up with him, her tone accusing as the expression on her face, "who quite literally, wants to jump head first into the flames."

Elias twists his head back as he walks, giving the brunette a mock offended look. "If I remember correctly, it's you who said I should have a bucket list," he corrects, then slows his place as notices how flustered Bella looks.

"And I meant doing tasks like wanting to fly a plane, or get a tattoo," she sighs, finally catching up until they're walking at the same pace. She's exhausted as she huffs out, "Not setting yourself on fire."

"Okay, I'll get a tattoo after this if it calms you down," is all the Sherwood boy offers, shrugging the backpack onto his shoulders as it slips. Another metallic clink comes from inside. His feet quicken again in reaction.

Bella watches him for a moment, hating how she's fretting over him when he looks especially... alive. Eyes bright and body humming. She's only saw him a few times like this- in faces of danger and moments of love... the latter with Jasper.

"I mean, should we even be this far out?" she finally speaks her mind, casting a look behind her. They're on a unmarked path in the woods, one Elias leads with confidence. They'd started behind the girls house at eight in the morning and they'd walked for around an hour.

When she's first moving to Forks, in those moments of boredom, she'd walked the trails endlessly and ended up learning the woods pretty well. But even she wasn't sure if she could find her way back right now. This is a bad idea, she thinks again. "What if you have a seizure?"

Elias halts and turns to her, his face wiping clean and being replaced with a stone cold expression. "I can do this alone," he threatens lowly. He knows it's mean, and a bluff, but he can't stop now. He can't.

Her brown eyes notice quickly at how the determination lining him isn't from the healthier of the two options like she thought. He isn't buzzing in excitement as he's looking forward to setting himself on fire. He looks like he's about to face danger, or face a fear.

"Why do you want to do this?" She whispers, concerned even more now.

Eli's face is wiped clean of his actual emotions and replaced with something cocky. "I've always wanted to see if I'm capable of it," he shrugs, and leans forward to start their trek again. Bella wraps a arm around his bicep to stop him.

She gives a 'stop lying' look. "And what's the other reason?" She ask seriously.

Eli's eyes tighten, showing only a sliver of grey. She was right, he was afraid. But of what?

"I want to test your limits," Elias starts, and he's himself again. The none serious, sarcastic teen with a cunning smile. "Let's see if you will actually set me on fire just because I asked."

Bella sighs, letting it go-for now. Elias will answer her question when he wants to. "I'm going to prison," she says miserably.

That makes the dark haired boy laugh. He walks again, and Bella hand stays on his bicep for support as the floor turns into mixes of bushes and tangled plants

"You know even if you did go to prison, Edward would bust you out, or Alice," Eli hums thoughtfully, amused at the idea. "She'd rather kill herself than let you walk around in a orange jumpsuit."

Bella let's a light giggle slip her lips. She can image it too. "The horror," she mocks.

The overgrow of woods they're batting through flattens out into a flat green field. Bella sighs in relief at the sight of stable ground, she didn't think her ankles could take another slip on a branch.

Elias walks into the centre of the field and drops the backpack. It's only forty feet, give or take, in a odd circle around them, and the trees tower around them but not over them, allowing sunlight to shine directly onto the field. It's the perfect testing ground.

"How did you know this was here?" Bella asks, walking closer to the centre, to Elias, and stretches her face back to feel the warmth of the sun.

"Uh, I came here sometimes, with Jasper," Elias reveals in a quiet voice, he looks around for a moment, remembering with fondness the times they laid on the grass together. "I know a lot of these places in the woods, secluded and beautiful."

Elias shakes the memories away, getting back to the plan. He kicks off his vans, and then starts to tug off the long sleeved shirt he's wearing. The sun shines along his skin in a nice way, but he can't really feel the warmth like a normal person could. Good, I need that.

"Do you think we should have invited one of them? One of the Cullens?" Bella debates, walking over to Elias to pick up the clothes he'd thrown on the floor without a care.

Elias gives bella a flat look, like he finds her funny. She hugs his clothes to her chest like a safety blanket, the scent of smoke and the cologne he wears comforting. "You know, as a safety precaution, or so they can catch me as I faint?" She adds.

That makes Elias laugh. "It crossed my mind," he tells, sliding down his sweatpants so he's left in a pair of black shorts. They shine slightly in the sunlight, like leather. But these are made from a fire retardant material that Elias brought from the internet. "but I was worried they would try stop me."

Jasper definitely wouldn't like this, he thinks, and guilts swirls in his chest before he pushes it away.

Bella grabs Eli's sweatpants as he hands them to her. She casts him a cautious look, realising, "So I haven't told anyone I'm here, neither have you..." she trails off in mock horror.

Eli's eyes roll on their own accord. "I talked to Jace about it, if that will stop you from having a panic attack?"

The shock of his statement does indeed stun Bella's worry. "You did? And he answered for once?" She says in awe.

Elias wets his lips, ignoring the curl of irritation that wants to surface. Jace and Jake had stopped answering them when the Cullen's had come back. Other then the close encounter where Jake came to forks to warn Bella and Edward, the wolves had been radio silent. Jakes reasoning was that he needed time. Jace's was entirely different.

"He said he's bummed he can't see it himself. Apparently Sam's giving them all the run around, incase Victoria makes a appearance again. It's why he's been so busy he can't answer the phone," there's a bitterness of anger to his words as he remembers the call this morning, "or that's what he says anyway."

The two teens are still for a moment, lost in the information and the memory of the days when they were depressed yet laughing in jakes garage. It feels like a different universe now.

"Did he..." Bella swallows, eyes hopeful, "has he been with Jake a lot? Is he ok?"

Elis shrug is instantaneous. "I don't know. I asked, but I don't think he wanted to tell me. He seemed hesitant, so I changed the subject."

Bella deflates. "Oh," she mumbles, and this time she does actually hug Eli's clothes tighter.

Eli smiles a little. "Yeah," he agrees to her sadness, before tilting the mood into a excited one with a simple. "Do you want to do the honours?"

Bella looks as Elias rummages around in the backpack between his feet, pulling out a small metallic container filled with gasoline. He holds it up and out to Bella like a offering.

Bella shakes her head, stepping back from him like the liquid would jump at her. Elias grins again- he knew she'd do that. "Fine," he nods, kicking the backpack away from himself and towards Bella so it won't get wet.

He flicks off the lid and looks curiously at the clear liquid. Without time to psyche himself out, he upturns the container until the gasoline pours out onto his chest, shoulders and arms.

"Oh' that stinks even worse when you're wearing it," Elias chokes out through breaths, nose wrinkling. Once the container feels light and he feels the liquid dripping from his shoulders all the way to his knees, he throws the thing behind him. It lands with a soft thud.

For a moment, he rises his hand and watches as sunlight bounces off the gasoline on his arms, making a multitude of colours shine from him. I look like a vampire in the sun, he thinks, his expression softening as he remembers how Jasper used to look under the sun. Beautiful.

At the memory, the thought, of the blond, Elias is reminded of the reason he's doing this. Why he's standing in the woods, ready to burn. Flickers of his nightmare erase the good feeling in him.

"Elias?" Bella calls tentatively as he's fallen silent. She's half a step forward, like she wants to touch him, before realising it's not exactly safe. "If you're thinking of not doing this, I swear I won't hold it against you."

Grey eyes lift across the field where bella is. He takes a moment to consider her offer, to plan out how it would happen, what to do- but it's not appealing. He shakes his head. "Actually I was thinking that if I I lose my hair from this, I'm gonna be pissed," he smirks.

Bellas skin turns a off shade of green. "Please just focus on not losing your life," she begs, and Eli's heart hammers with the need to reassure her. She might actually pass out.

"I'll be fine," he promises, his tone smooth as silk, "we've done this a hundred times in your bathtub, remember?"

Bella shakes her head. "Setting your hand on fire whilst sat in bathtub of water compared to actually burning your whole body is a big difference," she argues, and her arms jerk like she wants to run a hand through her hair in stress- if they weren't filled.

"Put the clothes in the backpack Bella, then grab the lighter," Elias orders, stern and soft at the same time.

Bella looks up at him, past her trepidation, her loyalty, even her own curiosity and goes to say no. She could, theoretically. She could say no and that would be it. He wouldn't burn, he would be seriously pissed and they'd probably walk home in silence. But he would be alive above all else.

Elias had made this plan with her because it was the only way. He needed someone else here, no matter how hard he bluffed. He needed her specifically because he was the only person he trusted to help him- even if he burnt and he couldn't withstand the flames, if he died. He trusted her to have faith in him. In his abilities.

Eli's fingers twitch at his sides. "Please, Bella," he whispers, the desperation in his eyes leaking into his voice. She doesn't know the exact reason he needed to do this, but she trusts him and that's enough.

"okay," she exhales, finally moving. She shakily shoves the clothes into the backpack, then takes the lighter from the side compartment. When she straightens up, Eli gleams in relief.

With a hammering heart, Elias widens his stance, like he's ready for a fight. Or a physical force to come hit him. "When I say go, throw it at me," he orders.

Bella nods, stepping backwards until she's a safer distance away. She can see his rapidly rising and falling chest, and  the gasoline shining on him. The lighter slips in her sweaty palm as the seconds tick by. What's he waiting for?

She goes to open her mouth to ask if he's ok when she spots it- smoke. Rising from the outline of his body from the gasoline. From his skin. "You're steaming," she half announces, half gasps.

Elias jerks a nod. His face is scrunched in concentration as he pulls the flow of heat from inside him and towards the surface- it feels like a never ending stream that burns his skin, but no matter how much he forces the heat up, it doesn't spark, it doesn't ignite the gasoline.

"I'm burning my skin...I think that'll make the flames stay on me," he mumbles, and his right palm rises to eye level as he focuses on it, watching as the gasoline steams from it.

"They stay when it's just your hand," Bella questions curiously.

The dark haired boy shrugs, sending a wave of light smoke into the air. "I don't know if it's the same with my whole body. I haven't done this before," he reminds her.

Bella chalks again. "Oh god."

Spots of gasoline heat so much they start to evaporate. Elias looks up to the brunette, his concentration pinpointing, "Okay Bella, throw it and move backwards."

Bella moves instantly. The lighter slips in her grasp and she grabs it firmly until she can open the thing. "Please don't die," she whispers, like a prayer, striking the lighter to life. Before she can convince herself otherwise, she throws the lighter at Elias.

There's a perfect moment of clarity as Elias watches the flame comes towards him. His stomach drops, his heart stops, his mind screams and the heat lingering on him lurches like it wants to jump out of him to greet the flame- no, it doesn't just want. It does.

The lighter hits Eli's shoulder the exact moment a whoosh explodes from him. Fire, brilliant and bright, implodes from his skin, from within him. There's no sight of a form of a man from the outside, no skin and bones, just a explosion of flames.

Bella trips backwards in a haste to get away from the heat of him. She falls on her back, and can't make a attempt to move again, too enthralled in the sight of Elias in the mist of the fire.

It's oddly fitting in her eyes, and if anyone else who knew Elias- really knew him- was around, they'd find the sight radically normal. For once, the power and fire in Elias was in motion. Standing strong, standing tall, with fire, smoke and embers rising around him- he'd never looked more normal, more himself, in his life.

From the inside, Elias feels alive.

Nothing hurts, nothing aches- everything feels strong. With his eyes open, he can't exactly see the past the wall of red he lives in. All his senses are cut off by the flames, and his mind becomes a silent echo of the crackle of fire.

I'm on fire, I'm on fire, he forces himself to think, almost giddy. He turns, lifting a hand in front of his face, catching the glimpses of unmarked skin under the red of fire.

Then, as the seconds tick on, Elias realises he's still feeding the flames- he's still pulling on the power in him to ignite his skin. The fire isn't going anywhere like he worried about- it's growing. He's burning hotter. He can feel it.

The ecstasy and determination feeding Elias suddenly twists as his mind lapses into the memory of his nightmare- into the feeling of him panicking as Victoria attacked. The way he'd burned in the nightmare never felt enough- much like trying to run in a dream- he always strived for more so he could defeat her, so he could protect himself and Jasper.

I need to burn more.

Bella gasps as the fire surrounding Eli starts to sway. She shuffles backwards to get away, not being able to look away as the flames dance twice the height of Elias, as they spread wider. Reaching up to branches of nearby trees in the way; leafs and the grass at Eli's feet start to set on fire, sending black smoke into the air.

"Elias!" She shouts, but it's swallowed in the sound of the fire. Sweating from the heat, her hands slip on the grass, making her fall onto her back again. The sight of the fire, building up and out, completely overtaking everything, makes her heart stop.

"Elias, stop!"

The sound of Bella's panicking voice struck of chord in Eli's mind. He's always been a creature ruled by the need to protect the ones closest to him, and that wasn't a scream of someone who needed protecting by him, it was someone needing protecting from him.

The onslaught of terror at the thought of her being hurt, of him hurting her especially, makes him pull back. He stops the flow of power to his skin, therefore stopping the flames. As quick as it had started, the fire sucked inwards this time- a inferno turned into a single flame in the palm of Eli's hand by nothing than a mental command.

Elias watches the single flame for a moment in awe, then he curls his palm onto a fist, crushing it.

With it gone, Eli looks up, unharmed other than the black ashes smudging various parts of his skin. He checks his sister first- and she's fine. Absolutely fine as she sits on the grass, looking up at him in a mix of awe and slight trepidation.

"I did it," Eli whispers, more to himself, the reality of his actions setting in. He can burn. He had a weapon, a ability,  so powerful he could kill a vampire- he could use this to protect the ones he loves.

From the ground, Bella smiles at him, "You did it," she says breathlessly.

•••

The feeling of success didn't last for long- not with the way his body sagged in exhaustion, not in the hour hike home. Especially not as his head started to pound when he steps into bellas shower to wash the ash off his skin until there's no evidence of the morning. Nothing other than the way his hands clench and his mind keeps reeling with knowledge, I can burn, I can burn.

He and Bella don't speak when she drops him off at home. He suspects it's because they're still in shock of the morning- he wants to say something about it. Talk about it somehow, but the worlds can't build in his mind next to the pounding.

Head bent down as he steps to his front door, Eli's fingers are tracing the brass handle when he feels it. Like a echo in the tracking of his mind, there's a area of...coldness, or lack of heat is a accurate term, coming from inside his house.

The pounding in his head rivals his heartbeat. Friend or foe? Carefully, he uses one hand picks the lighter from pockets, flicks the lid, and ignites a flame. He doesn't touch it yet, doesn't take it and use it. Especially as his other hand brushes the door open and there's a familiar scent in the air- leather, cotton, the woods. Lovely.

Elias flicks the lighter shut and walks into the hallway of the house. Grey eyes pick the dark shadows, expecting to see him hiding like he used to. But the lights are on as Jasper stays sitting on one of the steps, elbows on his knees, hands clenched together.

Eli knows somethings wrong immediately. Jaspers eyes are gold in colour, but dark in emotion, and his face is in a pretty scowl. Eli's already thudding heart takes a dive in his body. "What's wrong?" He asks immediately, kicking the door shut behind him as he goes to walk towards the blonde. Was it Victoria? Someone else?

Like a wake up call, the sound of the door shutting- trapping both teens in the house- moves Jasper from where he's been sat frozen. He's up on his feet too quickly for Eli to track, stalking towards the human with a flat expression.

"What-" Eli goes to say, when Jasper grabs his face with soft hands and starts to tilt it in all angles. Eli allows him to, especially as his gold eyes track over all the plans of Eli's face and head- including his reddening cheeks. Once Jaspers satisfied there, his eyes travel down Eli's chest, shoulders, arms, legs, everything. It takes a lot for Eli not to shiver as he repeats, "What are you doing?"

Jaspers cold hands linger near Eli's hands for a moment, sending sparks up Eli's whole arms. "I'm checking to make sure you're okay before I start speaking," he whispers, voice is oddly dark and quick.

Elias can't stop the shiver this time. He looks at Jasper, into his eyes, who's practically begging for his own words to be true. Elias mouth moves silently, over the true statement, "I swear I'm okay," as his mind connects to why Jaspers tone is so foreign and so concerning.

He's angry at me.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jasper asks very calmly. Eli's mind feels like a whirlwind.

He doesn't like making people angry. Pissed off? Sure. Especially when he's not entirely close to them. That's funny. But someone he loves, he cares about- making them truly, indefinitely angry because of his own actions? That feels like a stab wound to the throat- fatal and painful.

Especially when it's Jasper. Every emotion always feels worse and better with him.

Eli swallows roughly before moving around Jaspers cold body and towards the kitchen. He needs the space so he can think. "How do you know?" He asks, toying the possibilities. He stops dead in his tracks as he almost seethes, "did you follow me?"

He's just turning around, finding Jasper only a arms distance away, when he admits in a guiltless tone, "no, I didn't have to."

Jasper steps once to Eli. The clench in his jaw is so tight that Elias fears he's going to grind his own teeth out. Eli's fingers twitch with the want to smooth it out.

"Alice had a vision," the blond starts, his chest is rapidly rising and falling, angry, definitely angry, "that Bella went into the woods before being surrounded by fire, and in the middle of it all is a dark shadow of something she can't see. You."

"She saw Bella with fire?" Eli tries to repeat but it comes out all mangled in shock.

Jasper takes a step forward again. "She saw the whole forest on fire Elias," he seethes.

Eli's face falls. He thinks back to the way she shouted in terror as he grew his power- as it tried to overtake him. "But, but that didn't happen, I-I wouldn't do that," Elias murmurs, unsure of himself. He knew the morning had been a close call, but not that close.

Jasper makes tutting sound with his mouth, like he's disappointed in Eli- it makes Eli's own doubt double, and then a overcoming sadness washes over him at the thought of disappointing Jasper- but before he can wallow in it, another part of him thinks fuck that, and churns all his doubt into the need to defend himself. He glares at the blond in front of him, standing taller, "I was just testing myself, I didn't do anything wrong so stop looking at me like that," he spits.

Jaspers eyes narrow too. He steps closer again, going to press them chest to chest. Eli's heart does a funny loop at the thought of touching him- the want and the fear equal parts- and he retreats backwards without conscious order.

"Did you have a plan, if it went bad?" Jasper questions lowly, and goes forward again, but Eli steps back too. "If it got out of control like Alice saw?"

Eli's mouth opens, but Jasper is relentless in his words and the way he's closing in on the human. "Did you even think about what would happen if you weren't fireproof?" His tone strikes into feral and Eli finds his back hitting the fridge with no more space to move. Jasper in front of him now, disappointed, angry, so close- it's hard to focus on everything happening. "Or did you expect Bella to light the match and watch you die with no way to help you?"

Jaspers hands rise to the fridge, to either side of Elias head, and he's leaning forward until he and Eli are face to face, eye to eye. The physical picture of Jaspers anger is distorted with the mental picture his words are painting. Elias can't breathe.

Then the blond boys face twists into a frown, equal parts beauty and cold. His next words are as killing as a knife to the throat. "Just because you're dying Elias, it doesn't mean you can go around endangering yourself like you have no care what the outcome will be."

"Fuck you," is Eli's a instant reply. A reflex. It comes out a incredulous whisper since he can't catch his breath, but it makes Jaspers eyes widen a notch. Elias straightens out and pushes the palms at either side of his head away- Jasper brings them back to his side just as Eli's voice rises to say, "no seriously, fuck you Jasper."

The burning in his heart comes back- it's from the wound of Jaspers making when he left Eli and it hurts. The human feels his expression turn nasty and painful as he jabs, "Just because you came back at the end of my life doesn't give you the right to orchestrate what I do with it, so fuck you."

A wince, a break in Jaspers exterior. It thrills Elias to see it as much as it hurts him- especially since he can read the emotion under it. The blond vampires shakes his head, like he's trying to fix the break before he states, "You were reckless today Elias."

"I was curious," Eli rebuts instantly, crossing his arms. "I did nothing wrong."

"You could have died," Jasper shouts. The sound of his voice, and the meaning of his words, make both of them flinch back. That break in his exterior crumbles until all of his anger is washed away- the true fear ruling him is on show as he whispers, "I thought I lost you darlin."

Oh. That's the real reason for the anger, for the shouting. Oh. Elias can imagine it, he can understand how it feels for fear to wrap around you and control you and panic you.

Oh my god, he thinks as the realisation sinks in. Eli knows that feeling. The fear. He only has to close his eyes and the memory of his nightmare is painted on the inside of his eyelids. Victoria comes out of the woods, trying to kill Jasper. Elias burns to protect them both. Is it enough? Isn't it enough? Can I save you?

A car door slamming makes Eli's head turn from the way Jaspers face is so awfully torn in pain. He looks out of the kitchen window. His parents car is on the driveway- that's seriously not the time.

He sighs, turns back to Jasper, but where he stood only seconds ago is empty. Elias let's out a disappointed breath and ignores the way the pain in his heart strikes up again.

"Elias?" Cassandras voice is care free and cheery as she walks into the house. Elias snaps his eyes away from where he'd been staring at the spot Jasper was just stood and greets her with a smile that's so forced it hurts him.

"Hey," he greets in a low voice, hoping she won't notice how his chest is rising rapidly from the fact his hearts all out of sync. "How was breakfast with the Cameron's?"

"Good, Nina cooked this magnificent pie-" her words are cut off as she looks at Elias properly. Narrowing her green eyes, she states with a frown, "you're all flushed. Are you okay honey? Does your head hurt?"

Try my heart. "I'm fine," he lies, turning his back to her to grab a water form the fridge so she can't read into his expression- not that she could ever tell when he was lying. "I was doing so studying, it's stressing me out is all."

"Make sure you have a break, don't stress yourself, it isn't good for your health," she tuts, her hands placed on her delicate hips, "you know stress can hinder-"

"-Thanks for help with the bags Mom," Easton, forever the saviour, cuts off the lecture as he comes into the kitchen. He huffs as he places grocery bags on the floor before looking back at the taller woman. "What happened to just opening the front door for us?"

Cassandra smiles guilty, opening her mouth when the sound of David's heavy footsteps cut her off. The three Sherwood's looks towards the entrance as he comes in, balancing five bags in his arms, "Don't worry!" He shouts, peeking his head over one of the bags to navigate where to put them, "I got it. I got it, move your ass Elias, you're in the way."

Elias rolls his eyes and moves to sit on the table instead. Easton's quick to follow after him, though he can't jump up easily- Elias surpasses a laugh and reaches down to lift him onto the table.

"Did you have fun with Bella?" The nine year old asks, his excitement shown on his face at the mention of their other not so blood related sibling.

"I did," the older Sherwood nods, running his hand through the long strands of his hair. "But not as much fun as we're about to have when mom and dad fuck off-"

"-Language-" Cassandra quips.

Easton giggles as Elias rolls his eyes. "When mom and dad leave," he corrects himself.

"I don't want to know what you two are planning, just.... don't set the house on fire," David sighs.

Elias just grins at him.

•••

"I'm nervous," Easton tells biting his lip. There's a small gleam of sweat on his forehead from under the helmet he wears, it sticks his chestnut curls to his skin. Smaller hands grip his brothers biceps for support whilst Eli holds onto either side of his rib cage.

The older Sherwood flashes a encouraging smile. "Just keep a hold of me, I'll hold you up if you slip," he promises, looking down to where his brothers planted on a old skateboard. "Move this foot backwards," he orders, using his toe to nudge Easton's left foot further backwards on the board, "and even out your weight."

Easton listens carefully, his grip tightening on Eli as the board wiggles around on the cement driveway of the Sherwood home. The nine year old boy looks down with wide blue eyes, assessing the board with fear.

"I think I need different shoes. These have paint on them. Is paint bad? Will I slip? You said this thingy is supposed to grip you, but will it grip paint?" He pants out, looking up to his older brother for assurance.

Elias makes a show of looking at his brothers white vans on the grip tape- just to calm him- they were specked with different coloured paint. "No, you're fine. Your shoes are fine," he confirms.

Easton shakes his head, trying to shuffle on the board. "But-" he starts, and Eli doesn't know if he's trying to get off or just readjust position but he knows the kids psyching himself out. 

Before he can do anything, Eli holds onto him with my pressure and orders, "move now!"

Easton does as he's told. He bends at the knees, grabs Eli harder, and jumps upwards with the board. One foot flicks up, and the board follows with him in a perfect Ollie. On the way down though, Easton's position is all wrong and the tips of his toes graze the side of the skateboard instead of landing on it.

Elias yanks his brother towards him by the material of his hoodie before he can fall backwards. He lands safely on his feet, and the board flicks directly into Eli's ankles.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" The younger Sherwood shouts as Eli winces.

"It's fine, I'm used to it," Elias laughs a little, especially since his brothers eyes are all sorrow-filled and he's still gripping onto him for dear life. "That was good Easton, just move your feet back into original position and I think you'll land it."

Elias let's go of the curly haired kid to bend and move the skateboard back into it's original position. Easton watches him with a pout.

"I don't think I'm never gonna get it," he sighs.

"You will," Eli promises, reaching up to push the hair away from his eyes. He taps the tip of one of his own vans on the board as instruction for him to climb back on, "It takes practise, and I'll teach you...Just don't tell mom."

That makes his brother grin, he too could image the meltdown she'd have if she saw what they were doing. "I won't, she won't let me do this because she worries too much," he huffs with secrecy, reminding Eli of himself.

The older Sherwood grabs ahold of his brother as he positions himself on the board again.  "She should count her blessing," he hums, smirking, "I was gonna teach you how to drive."

Easton stills, looking up at Eli with a mouth open in a silent gasp. "But that's for adults," he says slowly.

Eli's grey eyes roll instantly. "I know, that was Bella's argument too." Would've been cool though...

"Come on," he exclaims, nodding to the skateboard, "one more time and then we can skate normally for a bit again."

Easton nods, excited by Eli's own encouragement. He copies his earlier actions- bend at the knees, flick up- and somehow he fucks it up in a way Elias can't even take track of. One moments he's jumping, and the next he's falling into Elias with all his weight- and of course the nose of the board finds itself smacking directly into the bone of his ankle.

Elias drops on his backside with Easton half on top of him. "Fuck that was my ass," he hisses over his brothers sudden laughter.

Of course, that's the time Bella decides to walk through the front door. She scans once at the scene and what she's heard before calling, "I didn't know Jasper was here?"

Elias lifts his head to glare at her, "Very funny," he grunts, sitting up and moving his still giggling brother onto his feet. Then as a after thought, he turns to stare at her again and ask, "Wait, what makes you think I'm the taker?"

Bella gives him a knowing look that offends him deeply. "I finished the set up. Come on Easton," she calls, holding her hand out to him. His laughter stops as he run towards her and the mention of food.

Sighing, Eli gets up too- after dusting off some dirt on his black jeans- he kicks the nose of his skateboard up until he can grab it by the metal. With a sting still lingering on his ass and ankles, he walks back into the house.

Easton and Bella stand at the counter in the kitchen, a assortment of ice-cream and toppings around them. "Looks good," he compliments, finding his place leaning against the counter.

"Look, strawberry," Easton gushes, holding up the carton for show.

"Hm, I'm more of a cookie dough lover," he tells, going to follow his brothers lead and grab a carton when Bella smacks his hand away. Elias makes a startled sound accidentally.

"Hands off, your temperature melts to ice cream too quick," she sasses, but scoops some cookie dough into a bowl for him instead.

Elias pouts, sweeping whipped cream off the counter. "This is in a can, I can touch this," he shakes it, expression turning mischievous, "and do this."

He presses the nozzle, the sound of compressed gas fizzes out before a large splotch of cream shoots onto Bellas pale cheek. She gasps, the action causing the cream to splatters on her chest as well.

Eli doesn't even have time to laugh when Easton follows his brothers lead and throws his ice cream at them. Since he's smaller in height and has terrible aim, it lands on their knees and slides down to both of their feet. 

Bella gasps, "That's cold-" she tries to jump out way of it piling on the floor but the icecream slides under her feet, making her slip.  Elias grabs her by the arm but he doesn't have any friction either, meaning he falls too.

Bella lands on his chest just as his head smacks onto the tiles. He groans out in pain, trying to rub it but Bellas chest is trapping his arms between them.

"Oh look," Bella notices, cheeks red as she kneels off of Elias. "You're the bottom yet again."

Elias glares, sweeping his leg out under her, making her fall harshly on her ass. She makes a pained sound, rubbing the bottom of her spine. "Now look who's the taker," he mocks.

Easton, watching them as he licks a spoon clean, announces casually, "You two are weird."

Eli's mouth drops open. "Oh' that's fucking it," he scoffs, grabbing some of the melting ice cream off the floor and flinging at his brothers face.

•••

It took two hours to clean up. By the time he and Bella scrubbed the dried Icecream off the walls from their food fight, Easton was safely tucked into bed and Bella was dead on her feet. It took a lot of convincing that she could drive home alone, and even then Elias stayed awake, sat downstairs in the clean and dark kitchen, waiting for the "I'm ok" text from her when she got back. He knew Edward would be waiting for her, that he'd keep her safe if anything happened, but the small irrational part of him couldn't rest until he got that text.

It came, and it dragged the tension out of Eli's shoulders until he practically melted to his seat at the table. The notion of his eyes drooping, and the way his body felt like he was functioning through fog should have been indication that he should be asleep. But he wasn't. He grabbed his phone, sent off a hasty text to a phone number he hadn't contacted in months, before placing it back on the table.

After that, he locked the front door, switched off the lights, and left through the back door. The sun had settled for the day, leaving everything dressed in blackness. Elias didn't originally have a place to sit, but once out in the night, he stepped down from the porch and across the yard towards the pool. The yard lights reflected off the blue water, making odd spikes of light to flash across the grass and the trees. He found himself sitting on the edge of the pool, closest to the light. It felt safest there.

He'd changed since the food fight earlier, now only in a old red cotton shirt and some basketball shorts he sleeps in. It makes it easy for him to uncurl his legs and drop them over the edge of the pool until his bare feet are in the water.

He can't feel the coldness of the water, but the motion of water hitting his skin is nice enough. He leans back on his palms, and focuses on the feeling of the water instead of the way hope keeps building in his chest.

It takes ten minutes, or at least it feels like that, before a slight alarm goes through Eli's ever filtering head. Coldness, or more accurate is the feeling of the lack of heat in his surroundings. Elias opens his eyes from where they'd fallen shut and gazes across the yard towards the lining of woods.

Jasper strides out silently. He too has changed since their encounter earlier- gone is the long and layered clothing meant to hide his skin from the sun. He has his hands in the pockets of a black hoodie almost nervously, and he too has on basketball shorts that end above his knees. He looks comfortable, ready for sleep if he could. It makes Elias smile to himself.

And as he got closer, Jaspers expression shows how cautious he's feeling. It was Elias who contacted him first, who text him to talk, and really Elias knows he should say something to the blond in greeting: but as the vampire comes around the pool and sits next to the human, Elias is lost in looking at him. The strong muscles in his legs, the thickness of his thighs as he settles down next to Elias, the curve of his back and the wideness of his shoulders against the thin material of his hoodie. The way his lips a pressed together tightly, how his jaw is sharp in worry as he turns to look at Elias too- and his eyes.

Gold, as deep as the ocean but as blazing as fire.

Elias smiles again at him as his heart thumps harder. He has to look away, back down to the water, to get himself together again.

Jasper grins to himself, not that Elias can see, as he hears and sees the reaction he gives the human just by his presence. The worry that had riddled him the run here is gone, replaced with a peace of being around Elias, of knowing that for however long he's next to him, everything will be okay.

They stay silent in each other's company for a while. Elias stays looking at the water, even when Jasper takes off his shoes and socks and copies Eli's action of letting his feet and calf's fall into the pool. It feels nice, after a chaotic day, after their earlier argument, to just sit next to each other and be at peace.

It's the blond boy who breaks the silence first with a simple, "I'm sorry."

Eli's head lifts. "Jasper don't-" he starts.

"Let me speak," the blond boy orders, and Eli's mouth shuts in compliance. Jaspers lips twitch up at the sight of him doing as he's told for once, before he carries on speaking, "I'm sorry, most of all, for leaving without saying anything. I promised myself I'd never do that to you again, and I did."

Elias doesn't wince at the mention of Jasper leaving, which is a miracle since the very thought of him doing it makes him want to lurch forward and hold onto the man without ever letting go. That or makes Eli wanna shout at him.

"I forgive you," Elias states simply, his voice true and quiet.

Jaspers brows pull together. "You don't have to," he offers, and he's honest about it. He's giving Elias the option for anger- the easier route than dealing with the stem of his emotions.

"I know," Elias nods, swishing his feet in the water as nerves fill him. "I know why you reacted like that earlier, so you don't need to apologise. I don't want one."

Jaspers head twists a little to the left as he smirks, "Why did I react like that?" He muses.

"Because you were afraid Jasper," Eli sighs, the thought of the man feeling fear makes Elias want reach out and comfort him. Wrap him up and shield him from the world- like he's a docile little thing and not a dangerous vampire capable of handling his own.

Jaspers amusement falls as he looks away from him and towards the woods. Elias can't reach out, not without his hand trembling and the fear of him pulling away, so instead he uses one foot to playfully splash the blones legs. Jasper looks at him in shock, quickly picking up on the thrill in Eli's eyes, "its not wrong to feel fear you know," he teases.

Jasper breathes in deep. "You sound like Carlisle," he mocks.

Elias shrugs. "Thank you."

That makes the vampire roll his eyes fondly. He leaves it a few seconds, wondering if Elias' gaze will lessen on the side of his face, forever searching for answers, but it doesn't. When he speaks again, it's in a timid voice, "I don't like not knowing what's happening with you. It makes me anxious."

Elias can understand that. "I didn't tell about today you because I didn't want you to stop me. You would have said there was too many risks and not enough reward," he pauses, a playful expression on his face as he reaches out to nudge to blond in the ribs, "I know how you think goldilocks."

"And what was the reward of setting yourself on fire?" Jasper asks, gaze heavy. Especially as Elias freezes and his mouth presses together like he's physically keeping the words inside- he's never been the one to hide things from Jasper. Whatever this is, it's important to him and it probably won't please Jasper.

When the human doesn't make a move to talk, Jasper reaches out and pokes him in the ribs back. "I might not be able to feel your emotions, but I know you darlin," he looks into Eli's grey eyes, aware of the life in them, the secrecy, "You're full of fear too."

"I know," Elias whispers to himself, but for once doesn't feel shameful of it. Maybe it's the company.

Jasper sighs, knowing he's not getting anywhere with the boy in that conversation. He copies the humans actions again, leaning backwards onto his palms as he asks, "Did you have fun, at least?"

That makes Elias grin again. "You sound jealous, are you jealous?"

"Of fire? Definitely not," Jasper scoffs, and if Eli's not mistaken, the vampire even shivers. It takes a lot of will power to not laugh. "But from what Bella told Edward, you looked ethereal as you burnt. I'm envious I didn't get to see it."

The gentle tone of adoration he uses makes Elias straighten up. With reddening cheeks, all he can seem to say is a sarcastic, "Bella said the word ethereal?"

A small laugh from Jasper is Eli's reward. "Well, not exactly, but I used my imagination," he muses.

Elias laughs too, light and airy and the truest thing he's done in half a year. "I was also half naked when I was on fire, did you imagine that?" He snickers.

Jasper freezes at Eli's words."I am now," he tells with a rough tone, his eyes heavy as he runs his gaze up and down Eli's body. The human knows he's over exaggerating the motion just to for a reaction, and it works- a electric pulse moves around his body, lighting him up. Fucking tease, he wants to say, but his mouth is dry and he's struggling to not look away from Jaspers alluring eyes.

Thankfully Jasper doesn't let the human stir for too long- he's sure Elias might actually implode. He softens his expression and lessens the charge in the air with a curious, "Did it hurt at all?"

Elias shifts on the floor, trying to disperse the odd arousal he'd just experienced. "No," he says, but it comes out a little shaky. He clears his throat, Ignoring the way Jasper looks pleased at the reaction and answers, "it felt weirdly... normal. But scary, because I was filled with adrenaline and I wanted it to work so bad. That's why I, yano," he makes a mock explosion motion with his hands.

"You, metaphorically, poured too much fuel in your fire and you exploded," Jasper concludes with interest.

"Oh' we had fuel too, I poured it over me before I got the lighter," Elias smirks, motioning where he'd poured the liquid. Jasper closes his eyes as he sighs, a action he does when Eli say something he can't start to comprehend. This time, Elias can't help the way he throws his head back and laughs, "I'm just giving you something to imagine!"

"The next time you plan on doing something, please invite me. Or tell me, at least," he tells more than asks, a southern tang deepening his order.

Elias grins cheekily and splashes the blonds legs again,  "Something with fire, or any plan in general?"

"Everything," Jasper replies, hooking  one leg over Eli's shins and trapping them against the wall so he can't flick water again. His eyes never waver from Eli's face however, "I don't like being locked out of your life."

"Ok," Eli nods, a little split thinking from the feeling of Jaspers cold touch against his skin. It's honest promise when he mumbles, "I can do that."

Jasper smiles wildly. "Thank you darlin."

Elias can't do anything but smile back at him, all soft and happy like.

Jaspers head turns for the first time, his eyes flicking to the house. Elias twists his torso to look at Easton's bedroom window just as a light flicks on- not the main one since it's not very bright. Probably the night light he has next to his bed.

"Did he wake up or did he just turn the lamp on?" Elias asks in a whisper, as if the volume of his voice could even reach the upstairs bedroom.

Jasper listens for a second before replying. "He's asleep still, his hearts steady." A thoughtful expression sketches his features. "He's extremely tired, but happy."

Warmth floods Eli's heart. "We did a lot of skateboarding. I got hit a lot," he laughs as he turns back to the pool- he has to wiggle his leg before Jasper lets him go, then lifts both feet out of the water, allowing the light to show his skin. Purple and green bruises decorate the skin of his ankles.

Jasper never was the one to like seeing Eli hurt. Even if it was a bruise. "You exert yourself too much," he frowns.

Elias shrugs and moves his feet back into the water, hiding the bruises. "I gotta finish the bucket list somehow," he tells.

Jaspers brows rise in surprise. It's not the first he's heard about the bucket list, but it's the first Elias came out and actively spoke about it. "And what was today's official title?"

It takes Eli a moment to remember and when he does, he's proud to announce, "Teach Easton something fun that he'll remember me by."

Jasper doesn't find it as fun as Elias does. "He'll remember you plenty Elias," he promises.

Eli is aware of how the topic will affect Jasper- he doesn't want to talk about death with him. He knows where it will lead, what the blond will offer.

"Still," Elias says with a heavy heart, as he truly thinks about it. I'll be gone soon and memory fades over time. "I like to think when ever he picks up a skateboard, he'll remember how he learnt to use it."

"Why skateboarding?" Jasper asks, understanding how Elias needs a distraction.

A smirk plays on the humans face. "It was that or how to annoy the fuck out of people. But that's a gift you can't teach."

Jasper laughs to himself, which makes Eli's heart beat faster. "Yes because skating and infuriating people are your best qualities to pass on," he muses.

Eli squares his shoulders mockingly, "Oh yeah, and what would you teach the kid? How to be broody?" He makes a show of copying how Jaspers usually pouts and narrowing his eyes.

Jasper shakes his head at the humans antics, though he's pretty dead on in the impression, not that he'll admit it. "No," he corrects, "I'd teach him how to steal a car. That's a useful skill."

A giggle falls from Eli's mouth. "I mean, most humans aren't as inclined to break the law like you, but I'll put it on the list."

A very serious look passes Jasper pretty features. "If I get a phone call from you asking for help because you've been caught with a charge of grand theft auto-"

"-Where did you go to, when you left earlier?" Elias cuts him off purposely, his expression sickly sweet.

Jasper glares at the human for a moment, aware of how he likes to tease, then answering. "I went to the place Alice described to me in the vision she saw of Bella and fire."

Eli freezes. "Why?" He asks. Not angry, just wanting to understand, "there's nothing there."

"To help me understand why you did it," he admits without shame. "And to make sure there wasn't any evidence left behind that could link back to you."

Warmth floods Eli's heart again. "There wasn't. I checked. But thank you for looking out for me," eli says almost shyly.

Smugness ruins the moment. That and the way Jasper picks a red band out of his hoodie pocket and holds it up between them. 

"Shit," Elias whispers, looking down at his wrist to where his medical ID usually is. No surprise, it's gone. He must have thrown it off and forgot about it.

"Reckless, like I said," Jasper hums with a smirk. Bastard, Eli wants to say, but can't find himself to ruin the look on Jaspers face- he looks good after so many weeks of them arguing and painfully trying to function as friends.

"Yes I know," Eli admits with a high level of sarcasm. He holds his left hand out for Jasper to attach the bracelet around it, "You were right, most of the time you're always right Goldilocks."

"I wouldn't say that," Jasper muses, delicately wrapping the red band over Eli's wrist. His fingers drift purposely over Eli's skin, revelling in the warmth he brings- physical and emotional.

It feels raw and new and good, the touches- like the first time he first reached out to press his skin against Jaspers. The bracelet is fastened, there's no need to do this, yet both boys don't move from each other, too busy feeling how nice it is to touch, too busy waiting for the other to move away.

Slowly, Elias stretches his palm until it's flat and facing upwards- a offering. His hearts beating wildly, and his minds seven arguments in about how this can't happen, and how it can. Jaspers looking at it with light eyes, and towards where he can visibly see Elias' fear of rejection, fear of the past, and longing of Jasper.

Jaspers never been one to deny Elias anything, and he never will. So he links their hands together, and sighs out in relief of how right it feels.

It's a horrible action, Elias knows. They're friends, and this might give Jasper hope of something more, and they're just friends. Friends can do this, right? They can hold hands? They can hold hands and feel alive because of it, they can burn on the inside just from a touch. Just friends. Because you want to be, because you set the limits and Jasper allows you to, because he'll take scraps of affection from you since he's starving for your love, a voice in Eli's head reminds.

Elias hold onto Jasper tightens, his heart a uneven tempo as guilt and worry eats at him. He's been so self absorbed, so pinpointed on how Jasper leaving made him feel and how he couldn't go back to how it was that he hadn't realised he hadn't checked on the blond now.

"Are you okay Jasper?" He whispers, the thousands of questions he has unasked but so easily read off his face. What are you feeling? Can I help? I'm sorry my fear of you leaving me rules me, and I'm sorry, I'm know you didn't mean to hurt me, but you did, and now it's ruined both of us.

Jasper brings their conjoined hands up to his face. "I am now," he promises wholeheartedly, and ever so delicately, leans down to press his cold lips into Eli's warm knuckles. Friends can do this, Elias reminds himself, to ignore how the urge to lean into him and lean away from him is present.

Elias nods ever so slightly, trying to allow the answer to soothe him despite the way the questions keep wanting to spill out.  "Will you tell me, if you aren't?" He begs.

"Yes," Jasper smiles a little, just a flicker, and moves their hands away from his face- therefore steadying the humans heart rate. "Hey, who sees the human face correctly? The photographer, the mirror, or the painter?"

It takes Eli's mind a moment to recognise what the blond means. And why it's familiar- they used to ask each other questions like this when they'd sit in the woods. "We're doing this again?" Elias giggles almost breathlessly.

"We're doing this again," Jasper repeats, squeezing the humans palm once to try calm the way he knows Eli wants to panic. "Think about the question Eli and nothing else," he whispers in a order.

Elias closes his eyes and pushes past the terror of his mind. It takes a long while, and Jasper sits there patient and encouraging, holding his hand.

"None of them," Eli finally decides, opening his eyes. The gold of Jaspers eyes is suffocatingly nice, "the answers a lover. A lover is the only person who properly, truly, sees you," he looks away timidly, "or in my opinion, that's what it feels like."

Jasper hums in agreement, and if Elias was looking, he'd see how happy he is, how his eyes glow. "Yeah, That's what it feels like," he agrees.

I'm back- sorry it took so long, I was ill. And Incase yall need a recap, Elias wants Jasper- but the thought of going with him and allowing him to turn him and love him like he used to terrifies him because he's scared Jasper will leave again. Fun. I know.

So, team human or team vampire for Eli? Of course I know what's gonna gonna happen, but I'm still curious :)

Anyone have any songs that might fit Eli and Jaspers playlist?

Stay safe, I love yall! Don't be a silent reader!