ELIAS

"I accept."

It's been only three hours since those words came from Elias' mouth, and within those three hours Iverain has gone from intimidating presence to total mother hen. Yes, he is still utterly terrifying but in a good way though. No, it doesn't seem like he's ready to snap Elias' head off at the slightest mistake.

Iverain leads Elias out of his office; feet crossing over one another, he could barely keep up with the taller man as they passed the stairs. Down a thin hall where on the left a banister you can see the downstairs shop, the dim lights and reflecting potions and tombs sit undisturbed, on the right a set of closed doors, the first one a dark brown with no real distinguishing markings, the second a matching duplicate but slightly ajar you can see a pristine marble bathroom. Reaching the third door, Iverain removes a brass key from his pocket, unlocking it he steps aside.

"This is where you will be staying." Iverain holds the key, which Elias takes as he steps into the room, the large bed in front of him with a near matching glass window like the one in the office, to the right a double-door closet, and to the left a blank desk. Besides that, the room was empty.

"Comfy..." Elias mumbled stepping over to the bed. "So... what now?"

Iverain stepped into the room with his eyes on him as fingers gripped thin fabric. "First, I am getting you some new attire. What your wearing is a tad"—

"Old? I know." Elias chuckled cutting Iverain off. "I have maybe two more shirts, I got to check my pack... after that tussle in the alleyway with those guys." He shrugs throwing his pack onto the bed. Undoing the straps he opens the bag pieces of the old leather flacking onto the comforter as he starts pulling out items. An orange, apple, pair of patched up pants and a single green sock with a hole in the toes. "Dammit..."

"Is that everything?" Iverain steps around to the end of the bed grabbing the orange and apple.

"Looks like it." He murmured, shrugging his shoulders. "Missing two shirts, and a sock." He chuckles more to himself than to Iverain whose eyes bore into him with an intensity Elias had only seen a handful of times from the ladies at the soup kitchen he visited on weekends for extra cash. 'He would have to go by there sometime.' The thought came and went as he turned his attention back to the taller man who swiftly turns.

Heavy shoes clicked across the hardwood and out of the room, returning a few moments later with a white button-up shirt three times his size and some green pajama pants that thankfully had a string.

"You can wear these tonight and tomorrow morning we will be choosing better attire." Iverain lays the clothes out before sighing and walking back towards the door. "Get some rest Elias, I'll see if I can find something for you to wear tomorrow."

Elias nods as the door behind him closed, leaving him alone with his own thoughts. After a few minutes, He takes off his damp shirt dropping it to the floor haphazardly, the cold stormy wind from outside still crawling up his bruised back. Lifting his hand, he runs his fingers against his shoulder blades massaging the aching muscles before sliding on the shirt. The button-up barely stays on his freckled shoulders even after checking if all the buttons were done up it still lay crooked. Doing the same with the pants he slides them on.

"These are actually really comfortable." He murmurs to himself adjusting the string of the waist band. Grabbing his pack, he places it beside the bed before gingerly sitting down. The comforter sinks a bit as he gets comfortable. Laying back he stares at the ceiling his glasses still perched on his slightly crooked nose as he sighs. Every bone in Elias body was still on high alert, but feeling like Jello as the adrenaline of the day finally died down.

After what felt like forever, he leans over the edge of the bed grabbing his pack and hugging it to his chest, his body above the blankets as he finally falls asleep.

The next morning Elias awoke to sharp fingers on his shoulder, shaking him softly.

"Elias, wake up it is time for you to start the day." Iverain's voice sounded groggy as he shook Elias once more. "I have breakfast ready." He stood back as Elias sat up his glasses falling into his lap, the worn pack on the pillow behind him.

"I'm up... I'm up." Elias yawns throwing a hand over his mouth. Rubbing his eyes he throws his legs over the side of the bed. Stretching his back snap, crackled, and popped until he fell back into the bed.

"Elias?" Iverain walked over. "Get up. I would like to get this over with before I open the shop."

Elias grabs the glasses thankfully still stuck to his lap, pushing them into place he gets to his feet. Iverain places another brown button up, and black dress pants on the bed with a matching brown belt.

"Get these on, I'll be downstairs." With that said he walks back out of the room closing the door behind him giving Elias some privacy.

"Okay... thanks." Elias quickly changes the brown shirt exactly like the white one, the dress pants fixed with the belt. With his arms out he chuckles waving the fabric around before heading out pocketing the key in his pack. Hopping down the stairs he spots Iverain standing behind the front counter two plates and a stool pulled up.

"There you are. Eat." He mumbles sipping his coffee. Elias can feel eyes on him as he takes a seat dropping his pack on the floor before taking up a fork.

Eggs, bacon, and crunchy toast sit on the plate which he scarfs down without a second thought. Elias hums as a mug off coffee is pushed in front of him.

"Good I assume?" Iverain questions his voice soft, his eyes peeking over the rim of his own mug.

"Yeah." Elias says within a mouthful of food. Taking the mug he sips it to help. "Sorry, I"—

"It's fine. Must have been a while since you had a decent breakfast." Iverain responds with a wave of his hand.

"Well yeah, the last time I had a warm meal is from the weekend ladies down at the Soup Kitchen. They gave me free snacks, and a bit of cash to clean-up after." Elias retorts shrugging his shoulders. "It has been a couple weeks since I've been down there."

"I thought that soup kitchen was open weekdays as well?"

"Well, ya, but the weekday crew don't like me." Elias explains as he wipes his finger over the remaining crumbs on the plate. "There team leader is one creepy guy,"

"How so?"

Elias knew the question was going to come up but at this time his sleep idled brain was barely functioning so as cliché as it was, he just shrugged.

That seemed to frustrate Iverain who in all intensive purposes could have strangled him right then and there if he wanted too. Elias would not have stopped him. But to some divine intervention or the look of pure underlined frustration on Iverain's face, Elias still stood.

"You sure you still want to go through with this?" Elias asks as a shorter man moved around him with a tape measure. A quick walk through the winding alleyways leads them to a small prestigious looking building the lobby filled with the real turn nose type of people. Iverain lead Elias through giving some of them curt nods before entering a back room filled with walls of fabric.

"Elias."

"Yeah?" Elias leaned his head back looking at Iverain who stands off to the side.

"Be quiet."

Elias straightens his back his fingers gripping the cuffs of the shirt. Heat dancing over the back of his neck as his lips pursed in a thin line. The short man seems to finish getting what he needed as he backs up, the eyes large black voids that for a second reminds Elias of insects. But he does not voice it aloud as the man moves about the room.

After a few minutes, the man returns with several piece of fabric each one sort of duller then the last. Elias eyes each fabric for a second before Iverain stepped closer. Leaning forward a bit he whispers.

"Stop making that face."

"What face?" Elias questioned back his head snapping in Iverain's direction, his brow raised.

"Your face speaks much louder than your voice." Iverain responds his fingers tracing the fabric. "You don't like the designs?"

"Well there cool, just not really my style. It's okay though." Elias replied adjusting his glasses back up on his nose his eyes catching a forest green pattern as Iverain nods his head. Running his fingers over it he returns to the other fabrics.

Stepping through the front doors Elias trails behind Iverain two bags on each arm while Iverain carries the rest up the stairs.

"Slow down big guy! I got short legs!" Elias shouted as he followed close behind.

"You're not that short Elias." Iverain stated as he reached the top of the stairs. "Your five foot six which a normal height for humans." He recalled as Elias reached the top step.

"Oh, you shut it you overgrown giant!" Elias exclaimed as he walked passed and into the bedroom. Tossing the bags onto the bed he starts pulling the, out, along with the shoes, and miscellaneous socks and underwear.

Iverain shook his head depositing his bags onto the floor beside the bed. "I will leave you to organize, if you need anything I will be downstairs running the shop."

"Okay." Elias started going through the clothes as Iverain leaves. "Thanks again!" He announces over his shoulder as the door closes. After a while Elias has gotten all the shirt hung up, the pants in dresser, and his shoes tucked away at the bottom of the closet. Finally, he takes his pack off and unceremoniously tosses it onto the bed. Gathering up the now empty bags for later he flops back onto the bed. "This has got to be one weird fucking fever dream." He mumbles.

Pushing himself upright on his elbows his eyes land on a familiar green pattern.

"That sneaky fucker..."