Work Text:
Keep smiling, don't let them know.
That's what Eli kept saying to himself, as he sat in his seat, watching everyone's antics silently. He couldn't help but clutched onto his arm tight, not even wincing even as his grip was too tight enough to give a painful sting to his arm.
He continued to watch as Naib and Norton tease each other while Kreacher and Freddy went onto another argument. He glanced off to Emma chatting cheerfully with Emily, then to Luca and Tracy planning on another invention.
They all seemed so happy and yet he..
He gave out a quiet sigh and got off of his seat. He was quiet enough to not let them notice he had left as he walked away to his room.
Don't tell anyone, don't ruin this for them.
The more days goes by, the more this feeling grows. The more it grows, the more tired Eli became and by now, he was just pushing himself to get up for the sake of it. He felt numb as his body moved on its own, as if on autopilot.
He continued keeping a friendly, smiling mask up for everyone. He didn't want them to worry for him. He shouldn't let them take over his burdens. They had their own and he wouldn't want to add more with his own.
Even so...
He had a flicker of something dark come across his mind as he started to spiral down with time passing by.
Keep your mask up.
Each match was treacherous. When he first came here, he didn't expect the 'game' would be a twisted version of cat and mouse. Trapped in this endless loop, no matter if you lose or win.
Yet as Eli ran from the hunter at this moment, the fear he usually felt during matches wasn't there. He felt nothing. His body felt heavy, he was spaced out, he wasn't actually seeing where he was going. He just wanted to collapse and let the hunter stab him multiple times.
Maybe that could make him feel something.
Any feeling would be better than this numbness in his chest.
He didn't even let out a noise as he was attacked, didn't move as he let himself get downed with another attack. He didn't struggle as he was ballooned and placed on the chair. He just want this to end.
They won't notice you gone.
He couldn't focus during the matches. He could see his mask wasn't working anymore, he could tell everyone was starting to worry as he started to grew distant from everyone, keeping his distance from them.
He just wanted it to stop.
He groaned as he almost tripped while going up the stairs, rushing to the balcony. He couldn't take it anymore.
He collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily with his head spinning. He was overall exhausted in general, any physical activity was enough to tire him out. He pulled himself up by the railing and noticed how high up he was.
He looked down and seeing the drop...
He couldn't stop himself from giving a slight smile as he climbed up the railings to sit on top of them, his feet swinging slightly in front of him as he looked down.
End it. End it. End it. End it.
He let out a huff and sighed. "Rather me than anyone else.." He looked up at the moon. "I'm sorry.." He whispered before he pushed himself off. Yet as he did- He heard the door to the balcony open and a voice shouting his name.
"ELI!!"
His heartbeat stopped.