Chapter Text
Eli had barely managed to get his usual cloth tied around his face when the door burst open and Martha came darting in, hair down and wearing little more than her usual jacket over her sleepwear.
Naib woke with a start beside him, tensing up and snaking one arm around Eli’s waist protectively until he realized that it was just Martha barging in.
“What? What’s going on?” Naib asked sleepily, rubbing at his eyes with a sigh. “There was no reason to burst in like that.”
“You don’t think the blood trailing from Clark’s room to yours is reason enough to barge in?” Martha snapped back, strolling into the room with her hands on her hips. “What the hell happened? There was a fucking pentagram painted on the wall in blood, and you think there’s no reason to barge in?”
“It’s a long story.” Eli mumbled, sighing. “But I think we’ve figured out how these people have been going missing. And it’s not a pentagram, at least...not in the usual sense. Whatever has been taking these people is using their dreams to get to them.”
“Eli, what do you mean?” Naib asked, frowning. He had assumed that Eli had been under some sort of trance, which wasn’t technically inaccurate.
“For a couple weeks now, I’ve been having nightmares...I thought they were premonitions, but they never felt right.” Eli replied, rubbing at his face. He wasn’t sure how much he could say about it without worsening his miserable punishment.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Naib asked, staring at Eli in dismay.
“My gift is my burden to bear.” Eli bit his lip, knowing that telling him that he couldn’t speak of his premonitions or visions of these sorts of things without being punished severely. Naib would surely realize that something was off if he knew that. “It doesn’t matter, though. We need to talk to Patricia and Fiona.”
“You can rest for today.” Naib said sternly, his tone inviting no argument. “I’ll go see them. What do you want me to ask them?”
Eli had a few theories about what was going on now, though there were still some missing pieces to the puzzle. He wanted to ask the questions himself, so that when Patricia and Fiona answered, he could come up with more questions based on those answers on the spot.
But Naib didn’t seem as if he were going to let Eli go with, no matter his pleas, no matter how scared he was of being away from him.
“Ask them...ask them if they know of any creatures or magic or deities that can tamper with dreams.” Eli answered slowly, frowning. “The disappearances started happening only six months ago, so something had to have happened around then. Can you ask them to reach out and see if they can find out if anyone new came to the city or if any big event or incident happened? Oh, you should show them a drawing of what I was drawing in my sleep last night.”
Martha cleared her throat, clearly irritated that they’d seemed to have forgotten she was there. “I’m still here, you know.”
Naib gave a slight nod, letting go of Eli and sliding off the bed. “Behamfil, you need to stay with Eli. See if you can get that doctor to come by and take a look at him. No matter what, don’t leave his side.” He grabbed a set of clean clothes from the drawer next to the bed, pausing before glancing back at Martha. “When I’m done changing, I mean.” He gave her a pointed look.
Only a snort escaped Martha’s lips as she turned around to leave the room. “Be back before dark. I don’t think my gun will be useful against some sort of dream demon.” She shut the door with a soft click behind her.
“I should give you privacy, too.” Eli said, moving to get up.
“Stay put, Eli.” Naib’s tone was stern as he turned his back to Eli to change.
Eli sighed, watching Naib through Poppo’s eyes. He studied the scars on his back, his shoulders, his arms, and felt terribly sad. He was sad that Naib had gone through so much already, and was still going through so much, and would soon meet a terrible end that Eli couldn’t stop no matter how hard he tried.
“Will you take Poppo with you? You’ll be safe with her.” Eli asked softly, frowning. “If you won’t let me come with you.”
Naib hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded with a heavy sigh. It was obvious to Eli that he was struggling now with what he’d been told the night before by the tensity in his shoulders and his haggard expression.
“Sure.” He said finally. “I won’t be gone long, so just stay put.” Naib pulled his jacket on, pulling his hood over his head. Then he turned to face Eli again, frowning.
“I will…” Eli sighed softly, sinking into the blankets. “Please come back safely. Fiona will probably be able to draw a portal for you.”
Naib came to the side of the bed, leaning over close to him. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.” His voice was soft, gentle.
Eli could feel his breath against his cheek, and for a moment he thought he felt the faintest touch of Naib’s lips. But he pretended as if he didn’t, so afraid of even admitting to himself how he felt about Naib that he couldn’t bring himself to say it to the man in question.
A moment later, Naib straightened up and ruffled Eli’s hair, turning to head to the door with Poppo lifting herself into the air to follow him, stopping to land on his shoulder. She seemed happy to stick close to him like that.
Then Naib left the room, soon replaced by Martha, who had also changed and looked just like her usual self. It was a relief that he wasn’t alone.
“I sent for that doctor. Dyer, I think her name was.” Martha said, sounding unusually suspicious about something. Normally, he would just remove his blindfold to see what she was doing since Poppo was gone, but there was no point now.
“Thanks.” Eli said quietly, burrowing into the blankets with a sigh.
“What is it that you’re hiding? You’ve been acting cagey since I first saw you this morning. Subedar may have brushed it off, but I won’t, especially if you’re hiding something that could solve this situation faster or know something you’re not telling us.” Martha asked once she was sure that Naib had left the building.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Eli replied bluntly. “I wouldn’t hide something that would make this situation worse or cause anyone to be hurt.”
“But you’re hiding something.” Martha said, the bed shifting as she sat on the edge of the bed.
“Martha, please don’t press this issue. It’s nothing that can hurt Naib.” Eli sighed softly, knowing very well that Naib would be pissed if he found out what had happened.
Briefly, he wished he had spent more time looking at Naib’s face to permanently commit it to memory. He hated that he would never have the chance to see him through his own eyes again.
It was his secret and curse to bear.
~*~
Naib walked briskly through the streets, cutting through alleyways where he could on his way to see Patricia and Fiona.
He was worried about Eli and didn’t want to leave him for long, was worried that he would slip right through his fingers before he got back, like he nearly had the night before.
He knew he should be more afraid of the fate Eli had told him he was facing, but...he wasn’t. The future wasn’t set in stone, and one of Eli’s visions had already been slightly off.
More than anything, he was afraid for Eli. What would this creature or thing that had nearly forced him to make himself disappear do now that it had failed? What more danger was he going to be in now?
“Brooke Rose?” An unfamiliar voice called out, stopping Naib dead in his tracks.
Poppo immediately launched from his shoulder, soaring across the street towards a beautiful woman dressed in a warm traveling coat and carrying a small suitcase.
Curly red hair cascaded past her shoulders and her green eyes twinkled as she lifted her hand to let Poppo land upon it. She was a beautiful woman, and Naib suddenly realized who she was.
Naib had never seen Poppo act so familiar with anyone except Eli. Sure, she’d acted familiar with Patricia and Fiona, but now she was practically cooing like a lovesick mourning dove in the early hours of dawn.
Gertrude.