Chapter 22

Elias was waiting for him at his usual spot. Tivon tried to hide his tiredness behind a smile, but it was hard to hide his sloppy walking. It was impossible for Elias not to notice it. »Is everything okay?«

Tivon smiled and moved his hand with the green bracelet to his face. »You could say that it's okay.«

Elias put his mask off, his look baffled. »How did you?«

»Yesterday I bumped into a woman and I noticed she had Anasities, a disease I had as a child. I told her that I knew the cure. Then she came to visit me, and I told her about it. She probably found it because she came back and paid The Green Woman a lot of money.«

Tivon didn't want to tell Elias about the encounter with Pit and the talk with Luana. It's better if he doesn't know.

Elias was confused beyond belief. »How did she get the money?«

»Apparently she's the daughter of a Baron.«

»So the woman turned out to be the daughter of a rich Baron and she paid you a lot of money and because of that you skipped ranks and got the green bracelet?« Said Elias walking beside Tivon, still confused about how Tivon got the green bracelet.

»Yes. Luana also pointed out that Alieana might want to arrange a visit with me.« Said Tivon looking at the ground, concentrating on trying not to trip over his feet.

»That's great. Now we'll just have to figure out how to get rid of those two idiots that always accompany her and then how to unnoticeably get that necklace off her.«

They turned right, into a street that was a little wider, on every side there was a short confined dead end.

»That's going to be a big problem. That necklace must be heavy, she'll definitely notice it missing.« He closed his eyes, still walking on. »Alieana doesn't go anywhere without those two-«

Suddenly Elias grabbed Tivon and pushed themselves into one of the cramped narrow streets. He covered Tivon's mouth. Tivon looked at him, angry that he just interrupted him, but Elias' look was serious. He put his finger to his mouth and removed the hand covering Tivon's. He pointed at the street that they were just walking in a second ago. Tivon carefully peeked from the corner.

From one of the side streets bursted out Alieana with her two guards. She looked furious.

»I've had enough of you two!« She screamed.

»But my lady your sister-« Interrupted one of the men.

»I don't care what she said. I had enough! I can't have any fun when you two are constantly around.« She was waving her arms affrontingly around. »I'm firing you! And you better not be sneaking around when I go see that jade boy, Tivon tomorrow.«

Elias looked down at Tivon. A sudden rush of blush ran through his face when he realized how cramped the street really was and how close he was to Tivon.

Elias' right hand was leaning on the wall that Tivon was leaning against. His legs between his, their bodies touching. Elias could feel Tivon's heartbeat against his body. His lips almost touching Tivon's forehead.

»I'm firing both of you two.« Screamed Alieana, pushing them away and carrying her way down the street, her head held high.

»I think we have one problem less now.« Whispered Tivon and started turning around to Elias. »Now we just-«

Their eyes met and now Tivon also realized the situation they were in.

He could feel the warmth of Elias' body against his, his breath against his face and his racing heartbeat against his chest. Elias was looking at him with those eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes. Tivon hadn't had many opportunities to look at them and he admitted to himself that he could be looking at them for eternity. He wanted to pull himself closer to him. He wanted to be even nearer to him than he already was.

Tivon moved his head closer, but Elias rapidly moved his mask down and turned into the street.

»W-we need to make a plan for t-tomorrow.«

He continued walking towards the apartment. Tivon quietly followed him. They remained quiet all the way to the apartment.

Elias could feel the heat underneath his mask. Why did I pull away? Why did I do that? He was afraid to glance back at Tivon, who was walking behind him in silence. But I couldn't have done anything else. I don't want to make him uncomfortable by touching him.

They came to the apartment, the silence only growing between them. For some time, they just sat there in silence until Elias spoke.

»Now that the guards won't bother us, it leaves us just with Alieana.« His voice was shaking. He quickly looked at Tivon. He nodded. »We don't want to kill her, but we could give her something that will make her fall asleep.«

»We could put it in her cup of wine.« Continued Tivon, his voice quiet.

»And when she falls asleep, you take the necklace.«

»I'll hide my stuff in the room. I can escape through the windows.« Said Tivon, connecting the dots in his head.

»But now that you're a green rank, your room is on the third floor.«

»Yeah, I'll need some help there.«

Elias looked through the window. »I'll be on the roof of the house beside it. From there I can see directly into the room.« He looked at him. »I'll be there the whole time.«

»For the sleep poison. Could you try to get me some?«

»I might know where to get it. You'll get it before the visit.«

Tivon sighed. »I just really hope this will work.«

Elias sat down on the chair by the table and smiled. »It will. I'll be there and I'll make sure that it will.«

Tivon finally looked at him and smiled, but then quickly looked away. The silence fell in the room so that only the distant sound of a busy street could be heard.

Finally, Tivon broke the silence even though he didn't want to. »W-why did you pull away earlier?«

Elias looked up. »I-I... I'm not sure.« He he glanced away. »Well, I know why, it's just...«

Tivon looked at him peering through Elias with questioning eyes. Elias didn't want to meet his eyes.

After some stuttering Elias said. »I didn't want to pull away, but I didn't want to make you uncomfortable.«

»Why would I be uncomfortable?«

Elias looked at him, confused. »I thought that you were uncomfortable with anyone touching you. The other night on the ship when Pit was around you-«

»That's because it was Pit.«

Elias almost gasped. Tivon then looked away, his face turning bright red. »I d-don't mind when it's you.« He cleared his throat. »I hate when others touch me.« He looked at him. »But never with you.«

Tivon almost laughed, he never thought he would get Elias to blush so hard. His face was almost brighter than his eyes.

Elias hit his head against the table, covering himself with his big arms. »Ugh, I ruined everything now.« He cried.

Now, Tivon did laugh.

»Stop laughing, I'm already embarrassed enough.« mumbled Elias behind his arms.

Tivon couldn't stop giggling. He stood up and went to him. Elias peeked through his arms. Tivon squatted down to meet his eyes.

»Don't worry. There will be enough time for that.«

Elias hid himself in his arms again. »I'm sorry.« He mumbled.

»Don't be.« Tivon gave him a quick kiss on his head and moved to the trapdoor. »I need to get back now. See you tomorrow.«

Elias raised his head up, still trying to process what had just happened when Tivon said. »Don't forget the sleep poison.«

And before Elias could say anything Tivon was gone.

Elias' felt like there were a million butterflies flying under his skin. This boy will be the end of me.

The whole time that Tivon walked back to The Jade Paradise he had butterflies in his stomach. He caught himself smiling when he realized how embarrassed Elias was just a moment ago. He was just trying to make me comfortable. He blushed and smiled even more. What a sweetheart. What were the odds that I stumbled across him?

He walked on, happily jumping, forgetting that he hadn't had a good night's sleep for almost a week and when he walked out of the street, all of the problems he had, came back to him when he saw The Jade Paradise.

Just a bit longer. He sighed and went inside. As he was walking down the hallway to get in his cell, someone bumped into him. He looked down to see Adrien.

»Oh, Adrien.« Something wasn't right. Adrien looked scared. No, he looked terrified. »Is everything okay?«

He didn't say anything, he was blankly staring in front of him.

»Adrien?« He finally looked up at Tivon, his eyes full of terror. »Are you okay?« Asked Tivon.

»Oh, yeah. I'm okay.« He was talking slowly. »I'm just going outside to catch some fresh air.«

»O-okay. Be careful.«

Adrien just nodded and continued his way. Tivon was looking after him. I hope he's okay. He turned around and went to his cell to try to get some sleep before tomorrow.

Five hours had passed before Tivon got woken up by a bell, but it wasn't just his bell. The bells from all of the boys' cells rang. Tivon moved his curtains to see what was happening. All of the boys were standing outside their cells, fixing their postures. Tivon quickly did the same.

He looked around to see the terrified expression on the jade boys. Before he could think of a reason why they were so frightened, The Green Woman entered the hallway.

»Good evening, my jade boys.« She slowly moved down the stairs. »You may ask yourself, why am I here.«

She started walking down the hallway. »There's probably not a good reason she's here.«

She looked around at everyone. Luana's and Tivon's eyes met, but she quickly looked away, her eyes full of anger. »And you'd be right. I am deeply disappointed and angry with one particular person for what they've done.«

Tivon's heart dropped. She knows. She definitely knows. This is it. This is the end for me.