#16

Eli watched as Matthew got ready to head out. Not his favorite thing to do, but he couldn't really be expected to be happy about his boyfriend going out to possibly get the crap beaten out of him.

Still, Matthew was committed to finding the guy so dedicated to killing them and Adria had just called them with some news about the guy's whereabouts. At the very least, she had provided Matthew with some things to make it easier before tossing him to the wolves. Which didn't mean all that much to Eli, honestly. He still regularly felt like tossing her out the window.

"This is some really good quality stuff," Matthew said, happily admiring his new stab resistant vest as he tested out just how much mobility it allowed him. "You know, she said it actually had some ballistic resistance," he added. Eli wasn't even surprised at how absolutely pleased Matthew was about it.

"Great, but don't test it out too much," Eli said drily.

"It's not like I'm going to get stabbed or shot on purpose," Matthew said. Eli just stared, very unimpressed. "I'm not!"

"Well, just try not to get shot or stabbed in general." Matthew just gave a little half smile as he walked over to Eli.

"I'll do my best. But only because you asked so nicely." And then, he winked, and Eli just barely kept himself from rolling his eyes.

"So, what's the plan? You're just gonna swoop in, beat some poor unsuspecting asshole and then throw them in jail?" It was, after all, how Matthew did things in general.

"Unfortunately, no. Adria said there will be plenty of security, considering a bunch of organized crime leaders are meeting up for tea and cookies at the docks," Matthew said, still too cheerful for Eli's liking. If it weren't for his stupid outfit, one woud never guess the idiot was about to go infiltrate a freaking meeting between what was literally everyone who wanted him dead.

"And what if the guy you're after isn't there?" Eli honestly kind of hoped he wasn't. If only because Matthew was exponentially less likely to get murdered that way.

"He will be. At least, according to Adria's informant."

That didn't inspire a lot of confidence in Eli. Especially when he recalled that said informant was one of Fisk's men, who'd joined up with the new guy to keep an eye on him for Adria. At least, that's what he claimed. Personally, Eli thought it was just as likely that he was trying to play both sides to stay alive until things settled down. Apparently, some of his disbelief must have shown on his face, because the next thing he knew, Matthew was wrapping his arms around him and looking down at him with that damn expression that always made Eli's face heat up.

"I'll be fine," Matthew said, a soft smile on his face. "I promise."

Eli really wanted to believe that.

But then, he remembered the time the asshole promised to come back soon before he went off for a year without so much as a note. Honestly, Matthew didn't have the best track record when it came to promises.

"Just, don't do anything stupid," Eli said with a sigh. Matthew snorted, probably because it was a pretty ridiculous request to make of someone who routinely did a plethora of stupid things.

"Well, that'll be tough, but I'll do my best." Eli didn't look too impressed at that. "Don't worry, I'll be in contact with Adria in case anything goes wrong," Matthew added, tapping the earpiece he'd been provided.

"Oh, well then., thank God you'll have the daughter of the crook you stuck in jail looking out for you. I feel so much better now." Sometimes, Eli impressed himself with the levels of sarcasm he could reach.

"I knew you would," Matthew said with a twitch of his lips.

Before Eli could do anything more than fix him with a weak glare, Matthew was leaning down closer. His lips were soon on Eli's, feeling warm and more comforting that they had any right to be. The arms around him tightened and, if it weren't for the fact that Matthew wasn't very comfortable to be pressed to when he was dressed as Vigilante, Eli would have thought it was nice. He was still a bit disappointed when Matthew pulled away and even more so when he was gone soon after.

With not much to do—and wondering if he would ever be able to graduate with all the classes he was missing thanks to getting hospitalized every other week—Eli settled down in front of the television with only his cat as company. He switched through the channels, one hand idly petting Matt as the cat settled next to Eli.

For the time being, Eli didn't bother with the news. After all, Matthew had just left, so it would be a while until Eli heard anything about what he was up to. With that in mind, he prepared himself for a long night of sitting around and waiting. To be honest, he wasn't looking forward to it. Even if it felt like that was all he was doing lately.

"This sucks," he muttered, trying to get comfortable in the somewhat lumpy couch Adria had provided. He supposed he should be glad that she had even bothered with that much.

It was still difficult to get comfortable in a place that most definitely wasn't his home. As much as Eli hated to admit it, he was pretty attached to his and Matthew's apartment. Leaving it—or rather, being driven out of it—made him more angry than actually getting stabbed. Which, really, was proof enough that he had some serious issues.

Before he could really think too much on whether he should bother with therapy or not, he was interrupted by the sound of his phone. He saw it was Vanessa and decided to pick up. If only because she would kill him the next time she saw him if he didn't.

"Oh great, you're still alive." Not the best greeting Eli had ever gotten but also definitely not the worst.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thank you so much for asking. Your concern for me is truly touching," Eli could have been less sarcastic, but he honestly didn't feel like exerting that much effort.

"If you can be that bitchy then you're perfectly fine and any concern I felt would be wasted." Eli felt his lip twitch at that, but managed to keep from smiling too much.

"So did you just call to pick on me—a poor, bedridden person who nearly died?" He might have been exaggerating just a bit.

"Nope, just called to make sure you were still kickin'. Tucker and Collin wanted to call, but they figured I was least likely to get you to hang up in less than a minute." Which was probably true. But only because Eli's horrible friends always did their best to annoy the hell out of him. "So, how're you doing?"

"Alright I guess," Eli said, thinking of how funny it was that he was okay, considering everything going on around him. One day, he would have to sit down and really re-evaluate how desensitized he was to the absolute chaos that was his life. "Honestly, I'm more worried about how I'll be fifty and still in college because I keep getting mugged and stuck in the hospital."

Vanessa snorted and then full on laughed at that, her evil cackling clear even as Eli held the phone away from him and glared. Sometimes, he really wished he could meet normal people. Then again, he wasn't sure he could deal with not being surrounded by non-evil friends.

"Sorry, I promise I'm not laughing at you." Clearly, she didn't mean a word of that.

"You guys are horrible," Eli said flatly. "And you owe me some cake," he added, recalling the supposed get well cake his terrible friends had gotten—and eaten on their own—while he was in the hospital.

"Just tell your boyfriend to bake you one," Vanessa said easily. "Speaking of, how is he? Still panicking over his ginger angel getting shanked?"

Eli felt his face absolutely burn in embarrassment at the humiliating name Matthew had once called him in front of his friends. The memory of his friends nearly laughing themselves sick was almost worse than Eli actually getting stabbed.

"Just so you know, I hate you." Eli thought it was important that Vanessa know that. She just cackled like some more while Eli asked himself why he hadn't just hung up on her.

"But you hate me marginally less than most of the population," she said and Eli just knew that she was grinning.

"I mean, sure, but it's the same with Tucker and Collin and I still regularly kick them in the shins." Granted, they had it coming.

"Well, as much of a shin-shattering-troll as you can be, we're glad you're okay." That was strangely nice coming from Vanessa. Some part of Eli's partially withered heart was nearly touched.

"Thanks, I feel so loved," Eli said with only minimal sarcasm.

"You're very lucky to have such great and loving friends," Vanessa added, and Eli could hear some humor in her voice. Eli honestly wished they could talk for a while longer, that he could hang out with his friends again—that he could lead a normal life. But he didn't want to put them at risk. Not when it was his choices that landed him in the mess he was currently in.

When he got off the phone not long after, he was glad to have the sound of the tv and his cat still curled up next to him. It helped him feel better, even if he didn't have many of the other comforts of home at the moment.

For a while, Eli just sat there, watching tv and keeping an eye on any channel playing the news while Matt napped next to him. It was just as he was considering attempting to get some sleep that his phone rang once again. He glanced at the number, brow furrowing when he didn't recognize it, but still answered.

"Took you long enough to answer." Eli very nearly ended the call when he heard Adria's irritated tone on the other side of the line.

"What do you want?" he asked, because he couldn't think of any reason why she would want to talk to him. Which raised another question. "And how the hell do you have this number?"

"Later, where's Matthew?" Adria asked.

"Aren't you supposed to know?" Eli asked, and didn't like the dread slowly building up inside him. "He said you'd be in contact."

"Well, I'm not, so if you don't know where he is I have other things to do," Adria said, sounding equal parts irritated and anxious. That alone did not help Eli's own rapidly growing anxiety.

"Hold the fuck up. Where is he and how the hell did you lose contact."

"Just let me deal with—"

"Fuck that, tell me where you sent him right now." Eli decided to focus on the anger he felt at the moment, instead of the worry that threatened to send him into a panic. He figured anger would probably be the more productive emotion of the two.

"No. It's my job to keep you from doing stupid shit. He knew what he was getting into," Adria said, and Eli figured it was a waste of time dealing with her.

"Then you can fuck off and save your own damn skin next time, we're done." Eli hung up before Adria could say anything else.

For a second, as he stood in the too silent apartment and tried to think of what to do next, Eli was very close to giving in to the panic that was just starting to fully set in. Then, he felt his cat pawing at his leg, and looked down at the pair of blue eyes staring up at him. Somehow, that was all he needed to calm himself enough to figure out what he had to do.

Now determined to make sure his stupid boyfriend survived the night, Eli grabbed what he needed and headed out. And sure, maybe he didn't have a plan, but he would work something out.

Probably.

###

Hey everyone!

So, I'm back with more chapters, and for those of you who don't know why my break ended up being so long it's because my whole household got covid. We're okay, it's just that it took a while for me to feel well enough to keep up with my writing schedule.

Anyway, thank you all for your patience and support! You guys are all super sweet even though I'm super evil. :'D

Next chapter will be up on Friday, March 19th and it's a fun one! And I mean genuinely fun because I'm not always out to torture you all, lol. As always, thanks for reading and stay safe!