InsaneJournal

Freedom was everything Elijah had dreamed about, and more. He was still living with Tuck and Will, thanks to their generous hospitality. Which meant he was provided with three delicious, healthy meals a day that he didn't even have to fight anyone for. His body, which had been put through so much after four years underground, was rebounding. He went for jogs with Will every morning, and exercised in the garden in the afternoon, loving the way his body felt when it got put through hard work, without pain. He lack of dizziness and a gnawing, empty belly also helped. A whole hell of a lot.

He had helped a bunch of the men he had been held prisoner with reconnect with their families, and that made him feel like he mattered. Watching men he had fought both for and against, being embraced by the people they loved...it was everything. Every reunion just drove home the fact that Elijah himself, however, had no one.

He was sitting in the back garden watching the sun rise, and he wasn't even surprised when Tuck found him out there. First Flora pressed her wet nose into his hand, and Elijah smiled and lifted her into his lap to scratch her ears. She was such a lovely little dog, and it helped, having something to cuddle. He heard the chair creak beside him, and he glanced over, offering Tuck a smile of greeting. "Morning."

"Morning yourself," Tuck said, extending a hand out, a mug of coffee in it just for Elijah. Elijah had noticed Tuck had paid attention to how he liked it the first day, and he had never had to ask again. Elijah was in awe of this man who commanded so much respect from his parishoners, and hadn't let it go to his head. "How did you sleep?" Tuck asked gently.

Elijah didn't really want to go in to the nightmares, so he sipped at the coffee and looked out to the lightening sky. "It was fine. Just wanted to watch the sun rise. You?"

"Nightmares," Tuck acknowledged easily, and Elijah was jealous for a split second. If only he found it so easy to be open about things like that. He could with Will, maybe. "But let's not dwell on it. Planning on a run this morning?"

"Once Will's up," Elijah nodded. "It's nice, running with someone else. And he is competitive which makes me better."

"Oh, is my William competitive?" Tuck asked sarcastically, grinning from ear to ear. "I had no idea!" The look on his face made Elijah snort into his coffee. "Honestly, do not play Backgammon with that man. You will end up with nothing to your name."

Elijah sort of did have nothing to his name, but he wasn't going to point that out. "I believe it," he said, because he absolutely did. "Can I ask you a potentially awkward question?"

Tuck tuned his body fully towards Elijah, in order to give the other man his complete attention. "Of course you can, Eli. I don't mind awkward."

"I met your son yesterday," Elijah said, and he was charmed by the immediate beaming smile on Tuck's face. This man clearly adored his children beyond all else. "He was a cool dude. Told me about his art and everything. He uh...might have mentioned you had to track him down? Uhm. With a PI?"

"Ah," Tuck nodded easily, clearly not feeling awkward at all, which relaxed Elijah. "I did. Their mother took my children away from me. And I was worried they wouldn't welcome my presence, so I waited much longer than I should have to even try. But yes, I hired a PI and found them." Elijah had no way of knowing that was a bit of a roundabout answer, but Tuck hadn't wanted to bring Marian and Clio into it. "Is there someone you want to find, Eli?"

Right to it then. "My brother," he said, without hesitating. He didn't want this righteous pillar of the community to think he was being a creepy stalker or something and hunting down an ex. Nothing like that. "We- we had a fight right before I- I hadn't seen him in a year before I went into that place. And even before that he wasn't in a good way. Only sought me out when he needed money for...for drugs. And I had had enough and I screamed at him that I didn't want to see him like that. I wanted him to get help not to disappear."

"Oh my dear boy," Tuck said, in that gentle, loving way he had. "Of course you didn't mean for him to be hurt by that. You were hurting too. We can give my PI a call, Eli. Absolutely."

"I just- I'm terrified without me, he-" Elijah's free hand sought refuge in Flora's curly, soft fur, and he pet her to keep himself grounded. "If he ever went back to my place and thought I moved without telling him- Fuck."

There was silence for a moment, and then Tuck promising him, "we'll do everything we can, Elijah." And he was grateful Tuck wasn't promising him things he couldn't deliver. "I'll call him this very morning."

"Thanks, Tuck," Elijah replied. He drained the rest of the coffee and sighed. "You know? I might go on a run myself this morning, I think." Just him and the road, his shoes slapping the pavement. "I hope Will won't mind."

"I think he'll be able to find it within himself to get over it," Tuck winked at Elijah. "And I can make breakfast for when you return. How do you feel about blintzes with some strawberry compote?"

Elijah groaned and he smiled over at Tuck, feeling a little better about things when blintzes were in his future. "Ohhh, you are a miracle worker," he laughed.

"It's been said," Tuck chuckled. Clearly he was hoping he could pull off more than one miracle, and return Elijah's brother to him. Blintzes were amazing, brothers were better/