Devon was awakened when he heard the engine of a car pulling up. "Fuck." He gripped his temples using his uninjured hand and sucked a breath. The pounding in his head got worse when he moved to sit up.
He lazily and groggily reached for his bedside drawer and grabbed his bottle of aspirin. He took a tablet and threw it down his throat, then reached for the bottle of water. He rested against the headboard for a few minutes to let the medicine do its thing. When the throbbing stopped, he expelled a breath.
He climbed down his bed, headed to the bath, and took a cold shower to awaken his senses. He just let his bandaged hand get wet, ignoring the sharp and numb sensation from his wound. After all, it only feels like an ant bite in comparison to what he experienced throughout the years.
After cleaning his body, he grabbed a towel and dried his hair, then stepped out of the bath naked. He walked towards his dressing room and settled with something semi-formal because Stefan gave him a day off. He wore a pair of balck pants, a white shirt, and a pair of black shoes. He reached for the first-aid kit and cleaned his wound, applied an antiseptic, then wrapped it with a bandage.
Devon found it hard to understand but when he glanced at his floor-to-ceiling glass windows draped by a black curtain, there was an inexplainable force urging him to take a peek outside. So he did.
He frowned when he saw someone on his property next-door, but remembered that Stefan asked him for the apartment. Devon narrowed his eyes to take a good look at the person below. It was a boy, crouching and staring at the sunflower. The boy's chocolate-colored mane dances and glows against the sunlight.
Devon was intrigued. There's something about the boy... an invisible force that pulls Devon towards the brown-haired boy. Devon actually wanted to see the boy's face but his low-key stalking was interrupted when his phone rang.
He took three strides to reach his bed and grabbed his phone. It was Trevor calling. "Hello? Any problems?"
He heard Trevor sigh. "Guess what?"
"What?" Devon was a bit impatient because of his hangover and Trevor interrupted his low-key stalking.
"Your grandparents are here, Devon. Come back ASAP."
Devon's pulse quickened and his heartbeat pounded loudly. His grandparents? What are they doing here?
He grabbed his car key and ran downstairs. He can't be late.
****
Elijah was truly impressed. He was already blown away by the enormous mansion, but when he got to see the interior, he just gaped in awe. The house had two floors. Each floor has a seating area. There were plush and velvety couches and sofas beautifully arranged.
When he walked towards the living room, he squealed when he saw a real fireplace. Not just a drawing, but a real one. There was a plush rug covering the cold floor and Elijah was actually hesitant to sully what might seem to be an expensive fabric, so he removed his shoes and socks.
Mr. Gray was in the kitchen cooking their food but Elijah was given permission to roam around the house to familiarize himself, and Elijah was extremely pleased that he chose the living room first.
Elijah released a breathy gasp when his sole finally touched the rug. It was so soft, it reminded him of cotton candy. Ryzel buys him cotton candies and cookies, so Elijah was very happy. Without any hesitation, Elijah's feet sank into the soft rug and Elijah grinned.
"This is so awesome. So soft and smooth," he mumbled in amazement. He slowly sat down and scanned his eyes around. The beige sofa was perpendicular to the white-painted fireplace. Behind the sofa were big glass french doors.
"I think that's what the doors are called, from what I can remember."
As much as possible, Ryzel helped Elijah get acquainted with the real world. Being the curious cat that he is, Elijah asked Ryzel literally anything that struck his curious mind.
There was also a coffee table and a beige, tufted bench beside it. When Elijah looked up, there was an expensive looking hanging bulb above which was absolutely different from the one he had back at his old place.
Suddenly, Elijah felt an unpleasant emotion building in the pit of his stomach. Elijah continued to check the house. There was expensive furniture and items scattered all over the entire first floor. The kitchen was huge and complete with equipment and tools. Elijah doesn't need to brave the hunger because the large fridge was stocked to the brim.
Elijah did not disturb Mr. Gray and continued exploring the place. He climbed the stairs and was surprised even more. There was a hallway with white walls leading to a large door at the end of it. Elijah thinks that it must be his bedroom. He thinks so.
Finally reaching the end of the hallway, Eijah slowly opened the door and gasped when the interior was finally revealed.

(Elijah's Bedroom. Credits to the owners. Pictures not mine. This is only for visual purposes.)
Yes, Elijah was impressed by the elegance of the room, but at the same time, he felt his guts twist into uncomfortable knots. He let out a shaky breath and wiped the lone tear that escaped from his eyes. His chest tightened and he tasted something bitter exploded in his mouth.
Everything was all the things Elijah could ever dreamed of; food, shelter, and clothing, that Elijah knew was inside the dressing room. He wanted this, but not in this way. Is he that pitiful? Why do people keep on shoving stuff towards him?
Elijah shakily reached for his phone and dialed his boss's number. He heard three rings before the call got picked up.
"Hello, Elijah? What's wrong?"
Elijah's small fingers gripped on the device. "Sir... you lied to me. Y-You said that I will be living in an apartment for the employees but... but this is not it. The house is huge and expensive... and... and..." Elijah helplessly gestured around the room and dropped to the floor.
"Sir, why are you doing this? What do you need from me? I may be innocent most of the time, but I know something is up. I... I chose to trust you because I feel like you're a good guy. Are you... like them?" Elijah's voice went soft at the last two words and choked a sob as he tried to suppress all of the bad memories from coming out in the open.
"Eli... Elijah, listen to me. Please. Don't go anywhere until I get there. I'll explain everything after, okay?" Stefan's voice was cool and calm, but he was actually alarmed when Elijah's voice cracked.
Stefan brushed his hair back in frustration when the line went silent. He checked his phone and it was still connected. After five painstaking minutes of silence, Elijah replied.
"Okay. I owe you that, because you're my boss. I'll wait for you, Sir." Elijah ended the call and Stefan released a shaky breath.
"I take it that he did not like what you did, Stefan." Nonna remarked with a smirk on her face. She was correct. Elijah does not accept help that easily. Stefan thought that the boy would not reject his offer if he used Elijah being an employee as a cover.
Stefan sighed and leaned against his chair. This was Grayson's 911. He did not expect that the couple knew Elijah. This was too much of a coincidence. "He did not, Nonna. I have to go back before I fucked up my plan. I don't want him to misunderstand my intentions."
"Stefan, that boy is precious. Make sure that he won't get hurt with this plan." Stefan was surprised to see the woman display an expression he never thought he would still live to witness.
"Make sure that he visits us often, Stefan. I still miss him already, Amanda," Robert turned to his wife and heaved a deep sigh. But the couple knew that Elijah would be much safer under Stefan's care.
"I will, Nonno," Stefan reassured the old man and glanced at the folder on top of the coffee table. "This is too much of a coincidence. If the enemies found out about this, Elijah will be in danger. I can't believe we are about to deal with those psychopaths," Stefan gritted out.
"Keep him safe, Stefan. We don't know when they will attack, but for now, let him explore. Elijah was able to stay under wraps for almost seventeen years. I want Eli to enjoy life, and fall in love. With regards to Ryzel, we will be the one to take care of it. Just focus on the ones intent on harming our boy, understood?" Amanda said and when she saw the determined look on Stefan's eyes, Amanda was relieved.
She knew she could count on the boys. She picked up the open folder and stared at their boy's profile.
Elijah Kane Harris.
Amanda promised to herself that she won't let Elijah live a hard life ever again. They will protect the boy at all costs.
****
"Mr. Gray, can you be honest with me? We're now friends, right? After all, you did not yell at me and shove me when I asked you too many questions," Elijah asked hopefully at Mr. Gray and took a bite of the tuna sandwich that the big guy made. He moaned softly when the delicious flavor exploded in his mouth.
"Mr. Gray! This is so delicious! 100%!" Elijah gave Mr. Gray a two thumbs-up with a beaming smile.
Mr. Gray chuckled and handed him a glass of orange juice. Elijah also enjoyed the drink because it was so delicious too. Elijah reached for the napkin and wiped the sides of his mouth, then heaved a deep sigh.
Grayson noticed Elijah's restlessness so he sat down in front of him. Both of them are having a snack in the kitchen.
"What's wrong, Elijah?"
Elijah looked at him and sighed again. "Mr. Gray, this house is not really reserved for employees, right? Everything here screams luxury. I don't want this, Mr. Gray. I want to go back to my place."
Grayson's chest thumped nervously. This is not how Stefan and Grayson planned the day. They were expecting Elijah would love the place and he will escort the boy to work tomorrow. Grayson kept a straight face and cleared his throat.
"Why? Do you not like the house?"
Elijah lifted his gaze and gave Mr. Gray a small smile. "I like it. It's big and I know the roofs are not leaking, so I don't have to worry about rainy days. There's an air conditioning system, so I can definitely beat the summer heat. And, there's also a fireplace, so I can feel warm and toasty while reading a book during the winter season. It's everything I dreamed of, Mr. Gray, but why? Why is Sir doing this? What does he want from me?"
Before Grayson can answer, the door is slammed open and someone bursts in. Grayson reached for his pistol inside his jacket and ordered Elijah to stay behind him. The boy trembled slightly but went on his back. Elijah clutched his fingers on Grayson's back while Grayson shifted his stance, ready to attack the intruder.
When the intruder was finally revealed, the two released a sigh of relief. Grayson held his gun down and turned to Elijah.
"Are you okay, boy?" Grayson asked with a worried expression.
Elijah nodded and let go of Mr. Gray. Elijah turned towards the newcomer and glared at the man. He went out of his hiding place and approached his boss.
"Sir! You scared us! That was so mean!" Elijah huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, an attempt to look intimidating, but failed anyways.
Stefan chuckled softly and ruffled Elijah's hair. "Sorry about that, Elijah. By the way, I have a surprise for you." Stefan handed Elijah a paper bag and the boy accepted it reluctantly, but squealed when he saw what the contents were.
"Cookies! From grammie's?" The cookies were packed just the way grammie did, so Elijah knew at first glance.
His boss nodded and smiled. "Yes. I came by for a visit. Who would have thought that the couple you were talking about were my grandparents?"
Elijah's jaw dropped at the revelation. "Y-Your grandparents, sir?" He was so confused. Grammie and Grandpops were his boss's grandparents.
His boss nodded. "Technically, they are not my grandparents. I just treat them as one. You wanted to know why I'm doing this right?" Elijah nodded and held the paper bag against his chest. He can feel his heart slamming against his chest, and how his palms started to pour cold sweat.
"I need your help, Elijah. I want you to help my friend."
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