Once again, Elijah was skipping practice, doing god knows what. But you, you knew what he was doing. Daija had put you in charge of tracking down Elijah, as the guy always ran off somewhere, ignoring your constant calls. He was always like this, never wanting to practice as he busied himself with another hookup. However lately, it's been more constant than usual, to the point where you can't vouch for him anymore.
You find yourself at a small motel, following the small tracker you made Elijah turn on his phone a long time ago. After a brief knock, you heard footsteps, and soon the door opened. There Elijah stood, leaning against the doorway only in his boxers. If you looked close enough, you could see the small outline of a woman practically knocked out in the bed behind him.
"Come to retrieve me again huh?"
I'd look him dead in the eyes, my eyes a mix of anger and disgust. He'd open his mouth again, probably to make some sort of snarky remark or an excuse. I'd cut him off however with a harsh slap across his face "Get your shit together Elijah!" I'd shout roughly, ticked off about being the one who has to come out and track him down. I'd stand there in complete silence for a couple seconds, watching his face go through a mix of emotions -- anger, confusion, fury, disgust, however I'd remain unfazed "Get your ass dressed, were leaving in 5." I'd say, as calmy as I could, trying not to lose my composure as I usually end up doing
Elijah let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Well you sure know how to treat a guy," he chuckled. "But fine, I'll go get dressed." He stepped aside, allowing Amelia entry into the room. The woman on the bed barely moved, only groaning as she stirred in her sleep. Elijah ignored her completely, heading over to his bag and retrieving a pair of jeans and a plain black shirt. "You know," he said nonchalantly as he began to dress, "I don't think I've ever seen you this angry before." His words were laced with amusement and satisfaction; it was clear that getting under her skin was part of the fun for him. "It must be because I keep reminding you that you can't date any of us, huh?"
"NOT another word, Elijah!" I'd shout again, cutting him off in the process, making it clear I was already pissed
Elijah laughed loudly at that, shaking his head. "Alright, alright," he said, holding up a hand in surrender. Once he was fully dressed again, he turned to face Amelia, an amused smile on his lips. "So, lead the way."
I'd grab him roughly by the arm, practically shoving him out the door before finally releasing my grip. I'd cross my arms, neither of once daring to speak on our walk to my car, until we finally arrived "Your driving." I'd mumble, tossing him the keys before walking around to the passenger side of the car, opening the door and taking a seat inside. I'd close the door behind me, not baring to give him the slightest attention, instead choosing to sit in silence and stare out the car window with my head propped up by my hand, which had my elbow propped against the window
With a shrug of his shoulders, Elijah took the keys from Amelia and climbed into the driver's seat. He started up the car with practiced ease and pulled out onto the road without further comment. As they drove in silence, he couldn't help but glance over at her every now and then. Her profile was perfect, angled just right to make him want to reach over and brush his fingers across her cheek. But of course, that would be crossing a line, and Elijah knew better than to cross lines with Amelia.
Eventually, they arrived at the practice studio, where the rest of the band was already waiting for them. As Elijah parked the car and climbed out, he glanced back at Amelia one last time before shutting the door. "Thanks for coming to get me," he said with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes.
I merely even nodded in reply to his snarky response, not baring the commitment to even make eye contact "Get out." I'd say, not wanting to spend a minute more than I had to with him
Elijah rolled his eyes and stepped out of the car. He closed the door behind him and met her gaze for a brief moment before turning away, heading towards the studio without another word. The walk seemed even longer this time, as if the tension between them had only grown heavier with each passing moment. When he finally reached the entrance, he turned back to face Amelia one last time, his expression unreadable. "See you inside," he said flatly before disappearing into the studio.
Amelia sighed heavily and leaned back against her car door, rubbing at her forehead with a knuckle. She didn't know why Elijah got under her skin so much; maybe it was because he seemed to enjoy pushing everyone's buttons or that he always made everything about him. Whatever the reason, she couldn't deny that there was something about him that drew her in even when she wanted nothing more than to push him away.
With a sigh, she finally pulled herself together and headed inside, closing the door behind her. As she walked towards the others, she could feel their gazes on her back. They knew exactly what had just transpired between her and Elijah; they'd all seen it happen before. Amelia tried to ignore them as best she could, but it was difficult when she could practically feel the weight of their expectations pressing down upon her shoulders.
I'd sit there in an uncomfortable silence, the weight of their gazes heavily on me before finally standing up "What the FUCK is yalls problem?!" I'd shout harshly, my words echoing through the studio as I did so, waiting a couple seconds before following up "Can't you can focus on you DAMN SELVES?" I'd ask, sounding like a rhetorical question. I'd stand there, in silence for a moment longer, before finally storming off to an empty room and slamming the door behind me, wanting nothing more than to just break down and cry
The others exchanged glances as Amelia stormed away, her words echoing in their ears long after she was gone. It wasn't the first time they had seen her snap like that, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. They all knew about the stress she was under, having to deal with Elijah and everything else on top of keeping the band together. But still, it didn't make it any easier for them to handle when she took out her frustrations on them.
Silas sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair as he looked over at Daija. "You think we should go check on her?"
Daija shrugged noncommittally. "I don't know... She's been acting pretty off-kilter lately. Maybe it'd be better to give her some space."
The others nodded in agreement, most of them going back to their practice or talking among themselves. But despite what they said, there was a lingering sense of unease that followed them for the rest of the day as they continued to rehearse. Something had to be done about Elijah, and soon. But even then, it wasn't clear how they could manage it without causing more problems for everyone involved...
I'd sit down on and empty couch, with no one around, the air filled with content silence and the sound of instruments as tears begin to well up in my eyes. I'd lean forward, putting my head in my hands and looking down toward the floor, not wanting to smear my makeup. My hands would slide up to my forehead before going higher and grabbing my hair, before just sitting there, my whole body not bothering to move
Elijah couldn't help but notice the empty couch in the corner of his eye. The sight of it was almost too much for him; he could practically feel Amelia's presence radiating from it like a beacon. Curiosity getting the better of him, he set aside his guitar before walking over to where she sat in the empty room, leaving his band mates behind as he closed the door behind him. When he reached her, he crouched down beside her, their shoulders brushing against each other despite the distance between them.
"Hey," he said softly, his voice quiet enough that only she could hear him. "You okay?"
I'd sniffle, not bothering to look up at him when he entered the room or spoke up "Noo.." I'd whimper, my head still in my hands as my tears hit the floor
Elijah reached out, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. It was a tentative touch, but she didn't shrug him off or push his hand away. "What is it?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice. He knew that Amelia had been under a lot of stress lately; not just because of him and the rest of the band members, but because of her own personal issues as well. But still, he couldn't help feeling like there was something more going on here.
"You can talk to me," he continued, his voice growing softer. "I won't judge you." He knew that wasn't always true; he was quick to judge people himself. But for some reason, with Amelia, he found it easier to be understanding and empathetic. Maybe it was because she reminded him of someone from his past... or maybe it was just because she was different than anyone else he had ever met before.
I'd look up at him for a second, my eyes filled his tears, before tilting my head down slightly so I wasn't looking directly at him "I- I don't know... I- feel like the punching bag of the group sometimes." I'd mumble, my mind clouded with thoughts from the past "Like... N-no one fucking cares about me." I'd whimper out, almost breaking completely, sniffling and wiping my eyes a little, just for them to fill right back up with more tears
Elijah frowned, his expression growing more serious as he studied her face. He knew she was hurting; he could see it in the way she held herself and in the way her voice trembled when she spoke. And for some reason, that only seemed to make him want to comfort her even more. He leaned forward, gently wiping away a tear that had escaped from her eye with his thumb. "That's not true," he said quietly. "I care about you."
Amelia looked up at him again, surprise and disbelief written all over her face. "You do?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Even though they had been together for months now, there was still something about Elijah that made it hard for Amelia to believe he could ever care about anyone besides himself.
He nodded solemnly, reaching out to brush another tear away from her cheek. "Yeah," he said quietly. "You're important to me, too." Then, before she could say anything else, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, holding her close as their tears mingled together on his skin.
At first, Amelia was stunned; then she melted into the kiss, returning it with just as much passion as Elijah had given her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself even closer against him as they lost themselves in the moment. For once, everything else faded away, leaving only them and their connection.
When at last they pulled apart, both of them were breathing hard. Elijah cupped Amelia's face gently in his hands, studying her flushed cheeks and her parted lips before leaning forward to kiss her again, this time slower and more tenderly. "I'm sorry,"
I'd look up at him, into his eyes, unable to bear the weight of his gaze. I'd wrapping my arms around him, my eyes still filled with tears as I rest the side of my head against his chest
Elijah stroked her hair gently as she buried herself against him. He could feel her heart racing beneath his fingers, and he knew it was only a matter of time before she broke down completely. But for now, at least, he would do everything in his power to comfort her and make sure she felt safe and loved.
"It's okay," he whispered into her hair. "I won't let anyone hurt you." And even as he said the words, he knew they were true. He might not always be the best person, but when it came down to it, Elijah Cain would do anything for those he cared about... even if that meant making sacrifices of his own.
They sat together in silence for a while longer, her tears slowly drying on his shirt as they found solace in each other's arms. Eventually, Amelia drew back enough to look up at him again, her eyes still red from crying but clear and focused now. "Thank you," she whispered hoarsely.
Elijah smiled down at her, a genuine expression of love and understanding lighting up his features. "Anytime," he said quietly before leaning forward to press another kiss against her forehead. Then, he stood up and offered her his hand, helping her to her feet as well. "Come on," he murmured softly. "Let's go back out there."
As they made their way back into the practice room, Amelia felt a weight lift from her shoulders that she hadn't even realized was there. She glanced over at Elijah as they rejoined the others, noticing the way he seemed different now; more confident and in control than before. Perhaps it had been the kiss, or maybe just the knowledge that someone cared about her. Either way, for the first time in a long while, she felt like everything was going to be okay.
The rest of practice passed relatively smoothly after that, with everyone focusing on their instruments and blocking out the drama surrounding them. Elijah and Amelia didn't exchange any more words besides the occasional nod or smile, but there was a new understanding between them now that hadn't been there before.
It wasn't long before they were packing up their gear and preparing to leave for the night. As they headed towards the exit, Elijah paused beside Amelia, his face serious once more. "Hey," he said quietly. "I meant what I said earlier... about not letting anyone hurt you."
Amelia raised an eyebrow, not quite sure how to respond. She glanced away for a moment before looking back at him. "Thanks, Elijah," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the sound of the fans in the studio. Then, with one last nod, she followed the others out into the night.
As they drove home in silence, Amelia couldn't help but wonder what had just happened between them. And whether or not it was a mistake to trust Elijah Cain...