Eli
Eli followed Emris back into the classroom, the noise of the hallway fading behind them. Students had scattered back to their seats, some whispering in clusters, but the energy in the room felt hollow compared to what had just happened.
He didn't speak, didn't look up. His hands trembled slightly as he pulled his bag onto his lap. The images of Jax towering over that boy pressed heavily on his mind, and he felt the cold, unfamiliar weight of fear crawl up his spine.
Emris noticed immediately. He had expected Eli to be cautious, maybe a little overwhelmed but not this… raw. The boy's wide eyes and tense posture spoke of someone entirely unused to cruelty, a life untouched by the politics and power games that ruled Kingston Academy.
Quietly, Emris slipped an arm over Eli's shoulder, holding him lightly but protectively. Eli, without realizing it, leaned closer, his hand resting on Emris's larger one. It wasn't small it was a solid hand, strong enough on its own but it fit neatly into Emris's, a perfect complement. The gesture was instinctive, a silent seeking of reassurance after what he had just witnessed.
For a moment, neither spoke. The faint sound of clocks ticking and papers rustling filled the empty classroom. No teacher had arrived yet, and the absence of authority only deepened the fragile calm.
Eli finally looked up at Emris, eyes still wide, and whispered, "I… I've never seen anything like that before."
Emris's grip on his hand didn't waver. "I know," he said softly. "It's a lot. Kingston… it's not like any school you've known. But you're okay. You're safe here with me."
Eli's lips pressed together, unsure what to say. He felt a strange warmth in the simple act of someone protecting him, someone understanding. In that brief moment, the tension in his body began to ease, though the fear of the hallway and Jax's power still lingered in his mind.
Emris released him slowly, letting him settle back into his chair. Eli's hand lingered for a heartbeat longer on Emris's before he let it drop. The gesture was unconscious, a quiet acknowledgment that, in this strange, cruel place, he had found a small island of safety.
For the rest of the free period, the two sat quietly, talking in low tones only when necessary. The empty classroom gave them peace, a bubble of calm in a school that demanded constant awareness. Eli gradually allowed himself to relax, letting the fear ebb as Emris guided him through the unspoken rules, pointing out small details about the classroom, the school, the rhythm of life at Kingston.
By the time the period ended, a silent understanding had formed between them they would look out for each other.
And as Emris packed his things, he glanced at Eli and thought again, a certainty forming in his chest.
we're going to be the best of friends.