A Time To Change
Summary:
Elliot is murdered on the night of his sixteenth birthday and with the help of the Will of the Abyss, Leo is sent to the past to change fate with a catch: Leo has to get Elliot to fall in love with him before time runs out.
Chapter 1: Happy Birthday
With a big yawn, Leo glanced over at the wooden grandfather clock rhythmically ticking. It was already eleven o clock and it seemed very likely that Elliot Nightray was going to miss his own birthday for the second year in a row. Leo couldn't blame Elliot. Being in a big ball room filled people who want to be friends with you just because you to belong to a rich and powerful family seems like the best birthday party ever. Regardless, Leo didn't understand why Elliot had sent him to wait there if he wasn't even going to show up. Leo reached in his pocket and checked his phone. No word from Elliot yet.
"Where are you?" Leo texted.
About a minute went by and Leo's phone vibrated and he read the text from Elliot.
"In the cellar. Can you come meet me down there". Leo shrugged and started for the basement door.
"I guess, but what are you even doing down there. Did you smuggle a bottle of champagne so we can sit around and drink to your rich boy problems?" Leo texted back.
"Just hurry up"
Leo wasn't totally decided on sending some smart remark back or just not respond at all. Well, he had already reached the door, so Leo decided against it. Leo reflexively reached for the switch that was already up as the dim lights shown on the large gray stones that lined the walls. It was supposedly an original part of the Nightray estate. As he ran his fingers along the cool stone wall, Leo wondered what Elliot was really doing down here. Last time he checked, Elliot hated hanging out in this basement.
Leo reached the bottom of the steps and looked around. There was a long hallway lined with wooden doors. Many of them were locked and were filled with supposed 'treasures' the Nightray family had. But Elliot told Leo that most of them were probably empty or filled with booze.
"Elliot" Leo's voice echoed down the poorly lit hall as he walked slowly. There was no answer. "Elliot" Leo mustered out trying not to think of a long list of horror movies and video games. There was still no answer, so Leo pulled out his phone and started to type "Where are y-" and then he heard a creak. Leo's eyes quickly shot up just to see one of the wooden doors open. Just as he was about to scream a silver headed boy came out.
"Leo?" Elliot said mixed with some confusion. Leo felt as though his heart stopped.
"Oh thank god" he rushed out clutching his phone to his chest.
"What the hell Elliot?" Leo shoved him in the shoulder.
"I told you I was down here. Who did you think it was. The slend-"
"And now I'm not giving you your birthday present" Leo said cutting off Elliot and let himself in the room.
Inside, it resembled none of the fifteenth century castle dungeon scene outside the door. The room seemed newly designed with random but tasteful pieces of art on the walls. More importantly, it was filled with any and all electronics one could ever want that included gaming consoles, four large televisions, and a bunch of other computer-like devices.
"And this is the present I specifically asked my parents not to give me" explained Elliot.
"You could feed a third world country with all this stuff" Leo said.
Elliot nodded in agreement and mentioned "I might just give it all away or something. It's not like my parent are going to notice anyway".
Elliot took a couple steps closer to Leo. "You know, they throw a birthday party for me every year but they haven't attended one of them since I was eight".
"Well, I guess that's what life is like for the children of the Nightray family" Leo said.
"Big expensive meaningless gifts to try to make up for the fact that they've missed out on most of my life" Elliot added in a seemingly joking tone but it wasn't as if it wasn't true.
Elliot rarely saw either parent in the house. Add in the fact that Elliot and the rest of his siblings were sent off to boarding school, Elliot's parents saw even less of him.
"That's why I was really looking forward to getting your present" Elliot said. "It's the only gift I'll get that actually means something to me".
To be honest, Leo wanted to punch Elliot with his stupid sounding response but Elliot happend to be looking straight into his eyes. Which was quite an accomplishment seeing as Leo's glasses were so thick it was even hard for his own eyes to see through them. It made Leo feel flushed and he quickly redirected his line of vision towards a colorful abstract painting.
"This might be a bad time to bring this up but..."
It probably is if you have to mention it Leo thought.
"I never really understand why you hide you eyes like that"
"And now you're never going to get your present" Leo said still looking away.
"Sorry. It's just, I like looking at your eyes...". Leo turned his eyes back to Elliot who was starting to blush because he just realized what he just said.
"I mean, not like in a gay way or anything".
Yeah right Leo thought. Leo could feel his heart racing but he didn't dare let it show.
"Well, since it's your birthday, I'll forgive you" Leo said heading towards the door.
"Wait, where are you going?" Elliot asked.
"I can't give you your present here with all these electronics. I'm having book withdraw" Leo said now out the door.
He could hear Elliot following. "So is my present's in the library then?" questioned Elliot.
"Not exactly" Leo hinted. "Just be patient".
Thinking ahead, Leo promised himself that this time it would definitely happen.
They would make their way up to the piano room, Leo would play the sheet music that's been burning a hole in his pocket the entire night. The song that he had been secretly working on for the past month. Elliot would act all surprised and amazed at Leo's work but that wasn't what he was looking forward to. Leo would wait for Elliot to simply ask "what d'you name it". Being that the song was currently title "Oh Shit, I'm in Love with You", Leo thought he would at least attempt to make his epic love confession slightly more romantic than Leo is normally capable of.
So improvising a new romantic title it was.
That would go over pretty well Leo thought. A piano love confession song all in one present.
When the two made there way up back to the main hallway on the first floor and the light's started to flicker.
"Huh. That's weird" Elliot commented. Leo looked back at Elliot to say something but then the hall lights suddenly turned off. From what little moonlight shown through the windows, Leo saw shadows moving on the walls and heard footsteps coming closer.
"Do you hear that?" Leo whispered. Elliot didn't respond. The footsteps grew louder. "Elliot" Leo said a little louder."Hey who's there" Elliot yelled now pacing down the hall.
"Wait Elliot!" Leo said reaching out to grab an arm that was way out of reach.
"What are-"
Leo was already running down the hallway before Elliot hit the ground. The lights flashed back on and Elliot was laying in a pool blood that was draining out of the wound he was holding. Elliot had been stabbed and whatever did it, was already gone.
"HELP!" Leo yelled down the hall but he didn't expect anyone to answer.
Leo dropped to his knees looking at Elliot's pained expression on his pale face. "I'm calling 911" he mustered out as he dialed the number with shaking hands. Leo had never been so close to crying. Then Elliot whispered "Leo".
"You're gonna be okay" Leo said choking back the tears. The calling tone rang as the two talked.
"This party really blows huh?" Elliot slowly said.
"Would you stop talking" Leo barely made out.
Elliot reached up and tapped Leo's glasses then slid them off his face. They looked into each others eyes and Elliot finally said "You're so beautiful" his voice fading as his eyes closed. And Leo's eyes filled with tears.
"Elliot?"
It was a beautiful and sunny morning at the Nightray Estate. Leo was laying in bed for the third day in a row and there was a knock at the door. He didn't respond but the door opened anyway. One of the maid timidly pushed the door open. The woman had been taking care of Leo for the past few days but he had mostly ignored her kindness.
"It's today. The funeral" she said. Leo didn't even look at the maid. "Are you going?". Still no response. Leo could hear the maid walking closer. She picked up the cold untouched bowl of soup from last night.
"I bet you really want to see him again" the maid said in an eerie voice that made him turn around.
This wasn't the maid from yesterday or any maid working for the Nightray family. This maid had deep red eyes and shining silver hair that reminded Leo of someone.
"I can do something about that if you'd like" she suggested.
"Who are you?" Leo asked.
"They call me the Will of the Abyss but you can just call me Will" she said with a smile.
"And I'll grant you any one wish. Right here right now."
Leo sat up and said "If I believed you, which I don't, what's the catch".
Will laughed.
"Right. The catch. Well, the thing is, I can't really bring Elliot back from the dead" Will said. "But what I can do send you back in time and let you prevent his death." Leo though for a moment, still looking at Will.
"So what will you get out of this" Leo said. "No offense, but you don't look like the type to go around doing charity work". Will smirked.
"The thing is, I feed off of romantic love. Not like in a soul-sucking kind of way but its creation gives me my powers to help other star-crossed lovers".
"Well that's real stupid. Because if you'd been paying attention at all Elliot and I were never lovers. It was one-sided." Leo said bitterly. This was the first time in two days he had thought of Elliot so much. The sheer effort Leo had to take to keep Elliot off his mind was suffering in itself.
"Even so, I need you to get Elliot fall in love with you by the night of his 16th birthday or else he'll die again"
"Wait, what if I just kill the man who murders Elliot first?"
"He'll die anyway. It's his fate and you and I are the only one's who can stop it" Will said.
"That's cool" Leo started "And to be clear, I still don't believe you."
"Too bad" Will said with a snap of her fingers.
"Time to sleep" was the last thing Leo heard before he passed out.
A/N: Hey, Laitas here, this is my first fanfiction I've ever written and I hope you enjoyed it. I'd also really appreciate if you could leave a comment telling me what you thought. Thanks so much for reading!