" So why are you really here?" asked Eliot. " Because what they've been doing is wrong. I may be on this team, but I don't agree with everything." said Alec. Eliot raised an eyebrow, but Alec didn't have to look to know. " I want to be your barrier between you and them. That last reaction to the pain meds didn't help you and they just kept forcing it down your throat, even as you refused." said Alec.
" You want to what?" asked Eliot. Alec knew Eliot was just clarifying what he'd just asked. " You need the help. And they frighten you. You can't even sleep without waking up sweating every two hours." said Alec. " No they don't." said Eliot.
" Yes They do. It's OK to be scared." said Alec. " Not when you suffer being drugged by your team mates almost daily." snarled Eliot. Alec didn't blame him for his thinking and smiled sadly. " If you decided to bite the bullet and offer me a bit of trust, I wouldn't hurt you." said Alec. Eliot didn't know weather to smile or cry as the suddenly urge to bury his face in Alec's neck hit him like a freight train.
Eliot whimpered and then paled as he realized what he'd done. " It's alright, just do what you need to." said Alec. " I don't know who to trust anymore." whispered Eliot. " When your ready, you can trust me." said Alec. Eliot just shook and buried his face in Alec's neck. As Alec felt Eliot's body relax, he realized what he was so afraid of. Eliot needed human contact, but was afraid to ask since he didn't know who was a safe person. Someone who wouldn't shove medication down his throat.
" Hey, you want to move to the bed?" asked Alec. " Yes please." said Eliot. As if he was handling glass, Alec carefully moved Eliot to the bed and turned to leave. As he was, Eliot's hand clamped down on his wrist. " Please stay." whispered Eliot. Alec turned back around, smiling gently as he saw the fear in Eliot's eyes. " Alright." said Alec. Eliot let go of his wrist and then rolled over so he was on his side and curled up. Eliot heard the drag of a heavy quit, but still tensed when Alec settled it over him. " I'm gonna turn off the lights." said Alec. Eliot gave no indication he'd heard him, but Alec heard the sigh of relief as the room was plunged into darkness. Another realization made itself known and Alec looked at Eliot in sympathy.
Because of the fear in him, Eliot was always watching and listening, ready to move at a moments notice. As a result, he was sensitive to lights if they were on for long periods of time and his ears were sensitive to sound. Someone could drop a pin next to a subway train and Eliot would know. Alec came over and curled up on his side at the foot of the bed. Eliot tensed as he felt the bed dip for a brief second. " Relax, it's just me. I'm at the foot of the bed." said Alec.
Eliot gradually relax til' he was able to fall asleep. Alec smiled sadly as he saw, that even in his sleep, Eliot was tense. As time went on, Eliot was able to put his trust in Alec and he had yet to betray him. Whenever Alec had to leave, he'd sidle over to Eliot and ask if he wanted to go out. Eliot had said no the first time and was forced to suffer in fear for the three days Alec was gone. But the next day, a package came in the mail for him. The team had laughed when they saw it was a necklace box.
He'd opened it, only to be shocked when he saw a beautiful pendant nestled in the red velvet. He'd taken it out and fastened it around his neck. The charm on the end was a silver tigress with blue eyes and black strips. The thin chord that held it was black. The team didn't know what to think when Eliot's eyes widened and then he'd smiled, soft and surprised. If he didn't have such a thick mask in place at the moment, he would've cried.
When Alec came back the next day wearing an identical one, the team had gaped. Wondering if Alec had sent the pendant. The only difference between the two, was that Alec's was a black fox with green eyes.